PFW S/S19 is coming and as always it is without a doubt the most awaited fashion weeks of all. With all the big fashion houses (such as Valentino, Dior or Yves Saint Laurent) showing, this is the week of September you cannot miss.
The first thing to look forward to is most definitely Gucci’s show on September 24 at the Le Palace théâtre (which used to be a nightclub in the 70s and 90s). This is not the first show in France for the brand, since their cruise show took place in Arles, although this is a first for their main collection to be presented outside of Milan. Alessandro Michele completely revamped the brand so it does not come as a surprise that he wanted to bring some change in its show calendar as well. This was even more expected seeing as their latest campaign was based on May 68 riots and shot in Paris. Although MFW lovers do not need to worry, Gucci will be back to the homeland in February 2019. Excitement is also rising to discover the venues of Dior and Chanel. Indeed, these two brands never seem to disappoint when it comes to decor, always going all the way. In Chanel most memorable catwalks we remember the spacerocket one (FW17) or the airport one (SS16). Dior often chooses to play on mood rather than on actual representation of places (like Chanel does). Amongst its best surrealist decors, we think about the purple delphiniums one or the Palais Bulle of Pierre Cardin. Of course, Gucci is not left behind when it comes to show venues. This fashion week will also be the official debut of Hedi Slimane at the head of Céline. The designer already dropped some hints on the campaign of the brand, revealing a logo change (the accent disappeared) which was highly controversial in the fashion industry. Nevertheless, everyone seem to be holding his breath for his first collection for the house. Finally at Givenchy, Clare Weight Keller will present the first co-ed ready to wear collection of the brand after spending months in the spotlight following her role as Meghan Markle’s wedding dress designer.
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Chromat is an American swimwear, lingerie and sportswear brand with strong values and principles. Presenting the most diverse casting of this NYFW (and maybe even of this fashion month), the brand knows what embracing beauty truly means. Amongst the models for this show: cancer-survivor Mama Cax, Kadija Diawara wearing a hijab or trans activist Leyna Bloom. Chromat is the answer to how to get diversity right. No fake diversity, no beating around the bush, Chromat does body positivity as it designs garments: genuinely efficiently and innovatively. Its casting was made of models from every size, every age, every ethnicity and non-binary. The models were soaked with water, as if they emerged from the sea, giving them the bombshell Baywatch effect. The white tee-shirts they had on turned transparent adding a sexy edge to the collection. As if the collection needed it, another message of body positivity was sent with "sample size" printed tee-shirts. Becca McCharen-Tran, the founder of the brand, has an architectural background which heavily inspired her for her collection. Always looking for innovation and technology, she adapted her technical knowledge to the process of garment making. The swimsuits were mainly black and white, however pops of colors appeared through neon bras or pink and red pieces. Cover-ups were also at the center of this show, whether they were tunics, cropped tops or fishnets dresses. Menswear has not always been at the center of the fashion spotlight, but these past seasons we witnessed a rise in men fashion.
2018 definitely started off as a wonderful year for menswear. Indeed, in January, with the appointment of Hedi Slimane as creative director of Céline, came the news that the brand would be starting a menswear line. Jacquemus followed suit by announcing his own menswear line at the end of his A/W2018 show, on a sweater. Presented on a beach near Marseille, "Le Gadjo", his first menswear collection took place in June. The designer stayed true to his roots with a warm, colorful and retro collection adding a new layer to the fashion definition of masculinity. Another big milestone of the year was definitely the appointment of Virgil Abloh as Louis Vuitton menswear designer. This was a huge step for the brand, Abloh being the first black designer for LV. The designer was also able to bring a modern/streetwear vibe to a classic brand like Louis Vuitton. His first collection for the fashion house came in June and had the effect of an earthquake on the fashion industry. During this September NYFW, we also had the pleasure of discovering the menswear pieces created by Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim for Monse. The New York-based brand offered us a sailor inspired unisex collection with Breton stripes, brass buttons and canvas bags. To sum it up, 2018 was already a milestone for men fashion and we can only expect more from the following years. For its 48th birthday, Dior Homme presented its collection in the building of 30, Avenue Montaigne. Kris Van Assche, the creative director, was inspired by the 1990s youth culture. The set was centered around this inspiration, the logo was mixed with a tribal design. On the side, in glass boxes, there were illuminations similar to funfair ones. All throughout the show, the boxes filled up with smoke.
Fashion-wise, the collection kept the classic tailoring running, it's Dior after all. However, the designer had the edgy vibes on track with tribal prints on shirts, and on the suit jackets where they were embroided. The tailoring was also toned down by sneakers and black biker jackets, giving once again a breath of youth. Camel coats were detailled with bright yellow lining, models also wore polos with the tribal printed shirt collars peeking out. Another recurring item was the black thin scarf, tied up on the neck. The suits buttoning was also quite original. Black, red and deep green were the main colors of the show. The colors could also be seen on striped polos. The final details were the sunglasses with small round lenses along with some crossbody tribal printed canvas bags. Models haircuts were also 90s indie inspired, some of the models also had tribal designs in their haircuts Paris Men Fashion Week has seen the release of the new Thom Browne collection at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts. The set was designed as a snow holiday destination, echoing to the ski inspired outfits they showcased.
This collection featured long and bulky winter coats. The coats appeared in different colors such as camel, grey and white, they were also quilted in different way, some of them with a pinstripe pattern. Pinstripes and check prints were a recurring feature. Black combat boots and breton striped socks completed the looks, but the key detailing was the oven gloves in matching patterns attached to the sleeves. Classic tailoring was still at the center of the collection with suits to match the jackets. The colors stayed neutral with tones of camel, grey, white, navy and black. Red was the only bright color to appear in touches, notably in the blue and red stripes detailing. Thom Browne played with proportions with its big coats but also with the sack shaped elements added to the models' calves. The beauty look consisted of long blond and brunette braids, coming out of simple grey winter hats. The braids had tricolored bows at their ends, and the models could be seen with pale skin and red cheeks. Here are our favorite looks from the show. For Couture week, Dior offers us a taste of surrealism. Maria Grazia Chiuri has brought a new breath to Christian Dior fashion house. From her feminist slogans on tee-shirts (and now her quotes on collarbones and fingers) to her mesh skirts, the former Valentino designer brought a woman's gaze to its creative direction. The models could be seen sporting Jean Cocteau's quotes on their collarbones. At the center of this collection another man, Leonor Fini (one of Dior's friends). The surrealism is inspired by the drama and audacity of the character. André Breton was another big inspiration, the French writer's quotes were splattered on the models' collarbones."L'imaginaire, c'est ce qui tend à devenir réel"(The imaginary is what tends to become real), “Au départ il ne s’agit pas de comprendre mais bien d’aimer” (At the beginning, it's not about understanding but loving) were among those quotes. They underlined the surrealism of the show, André Breton being one of the pioneers of the surrealist movement in French Literature. This last collection is Art-inspired and Monochrome. No bright colors could be seen, apart from the occasional red. For the surrealist part, the colors are centered around black and white, creating graphic designs like dots, squares and stripes. Overall the collection's lines were really structured with bustiers, A-line skirts, tailleurs and wide caps. This couture collection was mainly composed of evening wear. The materials used are really diverse from frivolous fabrics such as feathers, sequins, tulle to staple fabrics like wool, silk, and velvet. The masquerade and futuristic masks were made out of tulle, felt and metal and designed by Stephan Jones. At their feet, golden sandals and mesh socks. On their ears, loop earrings and pinkie rings. Outfits were not completed with bags, and shoes were not a main element. Of course, a Chiuri collection does not go without transparency and see-through details. The intricate detailling has been part of Chiuri’s style since her stay at Valentino’s creative direction. Although for this feature was a hit for a long time, fashion analysists are starting to think that she should move on with her style. With this release, Chiuri mixes Couture with Modern Art, creating a cinematic collection, with intriguing designs. One of the most massive trends of the Spring/Summer 2018 collections have been the sequins trend. Glitter and sequins have been everywhere from the most prestigious catwalks to high-steet shops through streetstyle and magazine’s editorials of course.
It all started at New York Fashion Week, with Tom Ford’s sparkly underwear.And the brand was certainly not the only one, Molly Godard, Simone Rocha and even JW Anderson hopped on the glitter boat. Here's a look at this season's most iconic glittery looks. Dolce & Gabbana created elegant dresses of different lengths in fuchsia, deep green and silver, and added glittery shoes to complete the look. Maria Grazia Chiuri designed sparkly dresses of different shapes for Dior using silver, red, blue, pink and yellow colors. Coach chose more toned down colors, such as faded purples and gold to fit the more cowboy style of the collection. While Gucci played with various lengths and types of garments, bold colors, Altuzarra sticked to gold, silvers and red long dresses with plunging necklines. Oscar de la Renta added touches of glitter sliding down the gowns, and sparkly initials. The Roaring Twenties was an era where people left all their misery behind and decided to base their lives on having fun and going out. A new genre of music emerged : the Jazz. The Charleston was the new dance style. The attitude of the women changed : they were laughing, partying, enjoying their lives. The Flapper Girl and the Dancemania all came from the Charleston. The style for the night was elegant and seductive. The dresses had beads all around, were shaped in an androgynous way, without a marked waist.
In 1926, Chanel created the Little Black Dress. The skirts are getting significantly shorter. For the first time, the legs are on show. Clara Bow, Josephine Baker and Louise Brooks were the icons of the time. The Great Gatsby's era was definitely an example of joyfulness and extravaganza. Here's a look at this era's revival on contemporary catwalks. What were the major trends of Spring/Summer 2018 collections?
Orientalism in European fashion first came in the Roaring Twenties. The trend was first introduced by designer Paul Poiret in France. At the time, he was considered as a precursor who let the corset go to replace it by large and flowy dresses (where the waist and bust were hidden).
In 1909, Les Ballets Russes were introduced, starring at the time Anna Pavlova, the first dancer and muse of Les Ballets. The main costumist was Bakst. The embellishments and the hats were really oriental inspired (turbans, kimono sleeves, and accessories inspired by the Japanese style). Here's a look at our favorite Oriental inspired looks from runaway. |