Naomi Campbell in Saint Laurent
After the quickest of about-turns, the fashion pack decamped from Milan and headed to Paris. And during the final quarter of fashion month the French runways have been nothing less than riveting. Here are two of the major shows that caused heads to turn and jaws to drop at the spring/summer 2020 edition of Paris Fashion Week.
Chloé
The casual elegance and romantic vibes that have become associated with Chloé continued to delight. The perennial Chloé attitudes of sensuality, freedom and grace were also very evident, this time infused with pragmatic, unstudied sophistication. Creative Director, Natacha Ramsay-Levi, called her fifth runway collection for the French house, “An essential manifesto for the Chloé woman: a fundamental vision of femininity anchored in reality.”
The ready-to-wear collection, which was presented at the Maison de la Radio, was brimming with cool but feminine graceful pieces that could easily be imagined on the streets of the French fashion capital. And while exploring French élan, there was a mix of tailoring and flou. The collection was feminine but came with masculine silhouettes, for example looks included sexy tops under suits and floral dresses with leather belts.
Celebrities like Bruna Marquezine, Carauline Daur, Pixie Geldof and Anna Wintour got to take in the delicate palette that included bright and broken whites, classical nuances of beige, black, navy, laurel green, lavender grey, jasper and old rose.
The long tailoring was fluid in cut with sartorial accents like a peak lapel, belted waist or tied cuffs. Jersey décolleté tops and poetic scarf blouses were matched with city shorts, blazers and skirts in checks and tennis stripes. Then there were the light smocked prairie dresses, pin-tucked blouses or slim bustiers that came in micro floral cottons, while ruffled rib knits, culotte skirts and plissé georgette dresses had bell and tulip-like shapes. Additionally, the subtle imprint of bodies played out on striped screen-print tees and beaded embroidery and jour échelle techniques added a soft touch to leather and clean denim.
Crystal chokers, wooden link chains and signature hammered metalwork cuffs and earrings came as part of the Chloé accessories collection. Plus, footwear included double-strap platforms and short buckled jodhpur boots, finished in burnished calfskin and stamped exotics. The triple- handle soft calfskin Daria day bag featured an antique patina, while the new Darryl bucket hobo was framed with a looped leather border.
Saint Laurent
The organisers at Saint Laurent managed to make The City of Light even more dazzling thanks to a light show spectacular. What’s more, showcased on a runway overlooking the Eiffel Tower, the collection was polished, elegant and shamelessly chic.
For spring/summer 2020 Anthony Vaccarello envisioned the spirit of Rive Gauche and its elegant masculine-feminine tailoring. The sharp take on Saint Laurent classics were created with a focus on individuality, while the past (namely the 70s) and present were melded together for timeless touches.
“It’s a Rive Gauche way of seeing clothes, a combination of the most iconic codes. Saint Laurent is as much about attitude as it is spectacle,” the Belgian Creative Director at one of fashion's most legendary houses said.
The short-short, one of highlights of the collection and a Vaccarello staple, came in charcoal gray, pinstriped-navy or black-rinsed denim. We saw shorts paired with graphic variations of Saint Laurent’s Caban jacket and high boots grazed the knees. Cowboy boots with stacked, dizzying heels, pussy-bow blouses, denim Bermuda shorts, long fluid dresses and burnished gold embroideries from the 70s also featured in the daywear section. Meanwhile, pieces perfect for the office included the dramatically-cut blazers and ruffled button down shirts.
When it came to eveningwear, the choice incorporated tuxedo dresses, louche tanks, jumpsuits, blazers, gilded party dresses, lamé and sheer blouses, as well as dressy pants and jumpsuits, with black sequins reigning. They were presented alongside a symphony of elaborate black tuxedos in smoky chiffon or an asphalt-like shine. Stella Tennant opened the eveningwear looks in a sensual Le Smoking suit. And the cherry on top was Naomi Campbell sparkling and shining while closing it. The legendary model slayed as she sashayed down the catwalk in a black sequinned blazer jacket and matching trousers.
