Do we have to reinvent the wheel every season? For some designers, no! At the spring-summer 2024 fashion week in Paris, which runs until October 3, many opted for monochromatic elegance, a simple wardrobe enriched with a couture move, or extraordinary materials.
For the chic and simple kind, we can’t do better than The Row, the brand from sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who have been offering a minimalist, monochromatic wardrobe in statement fabrics since their brand’s founding in 2006. This time, the models look like hotel guests: They wear slippers to accompany their long nightgown-style tunic dresses or soft cashmere ponchos; the white tube dress evokes a sheet simply wrapped around the chest; Flashy scarves combine with towels haphazardly placed on the shoulders as you exit the shower. Classics such as a navy blue trench coat, black double-breasted suit or high-waisted chocolate color trousers complete the combination.
The Olsen brothers didn’t come to greet the public, but they fed them in the most elegant way possible: at the end of the parade, in the courtyard of an 18th-century mansion.to In the century, guests could grab a kraft bag and pick grapes, figs, radishes, and peas from Chasselas’ crates. Of course, healthy, fresh and in season.
For her latest collection at Chloé, Gabriela Hearst purifies her vision even further: black, ivory and a slight touch of sunny yellow on very pure and simple outfits decorated with a hint of embroidery or pleating. The designer still connects his work to the issue of global warming, but this time with a less fussy approach as he focuses on flowers. “Symbol of satisfaction and consciousness”.
The anatomy of an orchid inspires the round shape of a bustier, the folds of amaranth are reproduced on the skin of a jacket, the white elegance of a jacket Zantedeschia It is located in a long skirt close to the body, widening to the ankles. The elegance of this well-crafted collection is a bit unnerving because it highlights the potential of a fruitful union that ended after three years.
The reasons for Gabriela Hearst’s departure remain unclear: the designer “dharma” (the law of nature in Buddhism) and believes that it has fulfilled its mission in the home, especially by making progress on the environment. The rapid growth of the New York-based own brand, in which LVMH has a stake and Chloé is owned by the rival Richemont group, is certainly not insignificant. Either way, Gabriela Hearst celebrated her departure in style by allowing herself to warm up a bit on the podium with a band from Brazilian samba school Mangueira. She mingled with the frenetic dancers and musicians with undisguised and communicative joy: even Anna Wintour smiled.
The inspiration is also floral at Givenchy, where Matthew M. Williams seems to have found his faith after seasons of wandering. Goodbye logos, ripped jeans, sneakers! Make room for a supremely chic, formal evening wardrobe, relaxed with a touch of glamour, a dash of sensuality, colorful touches and a few florals: irises sprinkled on a beige skirt, gerberas bloomed on a green bustier. “Flowers are a symbol of timeless and universal elegance.”This excites the designer, who says he spends a lot of time on gardening.
A sheath dress paired with a wide-shouldered jacket or a short pencil skirt with a long-front, sheer-back wrapover cut are successful equations that Matthew M. Williams has refined in a welcoming setting, a white tent. Voluptuous shapes by New York design studio CAL were erected in front of the Military School. In the square, a frenzied crowd applauds the arrival of Cher, Sigourney Weaver and Xu Minghao, singer of the Korean band Seventeen; Definitely in a new era, MMW has replaced his usual collection of rappers with oldies and K-pop.
Almost otherworldly beauty
At Courrèges, the wardrobe, aimed more at sexy party clients, is evolving towards greater fluidity and portability without sacrificing originality. A polo dress wrapped around the body becomes elegant; A boat-neck T-shirt that leaves one shoulder exposed is sensual; A vertical zipper placed in the middle of the abdomen on a simple white dress attracts attention. “While we talk about everything in fashion, sometimes we forget about clothes. “For me, this is my passion.”Defending Nicolas Di Felice.
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The designer, who has subjected the house to a major renovation since his arrival in 2020, works from archives (round cuts that André Courrèges cut from soft materials) to impose his touch with touches such as cleverly placed slits. at the hip of the trousers or at the hip of the dress. This attention to fabrics, cuts and details transforms a collection of black and white basics into fashion pieces that will take their place on the catwalk. But in terms of the catwalk, the designer imagined a plaster floor that cracked under the models’ footsteps. The symbol of the conquering woman, “A pioneer who baptized a virgin country”.
As models emerge in clouds of fuchsia or yellow smoke at Rick Owens in the plaza of the Palais de Tokyo, Diana Ross’ powerful voice echoes, assuring that she’s nailed it all. “Always believe in love”. A perfect decor that highlights a monochrome wardrobe, “A powerful elegance dominated by drama queen black and soft grey, as well as soft pink and exuberant red.”As Rick Owens summed it up.
On paper, the silhouette is simple, but a subtle play on proportions changes the situation radically: A black leather sheath dress is worn over platform shoes, elongating the silhouette to the point of unreality. Trousers rise almost to the chest, bras are so thin that they only cover the nipples, and skirts are so long that they are mercilessly trampled by their wearers. A stunning look with an almost otherworldly beauty.
Dries Van Noten, on the other hand, tried to reconsider the men’s wardrobe in order to better express his femininity. However, it is not easy for the Belgian. “I didn’t want to make men’s fashion for women. “There is a kind of feminine touch in everything, thanks to the contrast of materials, lines, decorations… It’s a strange balance between men’s fashion and women’s fashion, but seen through a woman’s eyes.”explains.
This is expressed in oversized blazers worn with printed wool short shorts, rugby polo shirts that tie at the waist, oversized coats, belts and patch pockets, and even a striped blue blouse that transforms into a fitted dress. Ornaments, tassels, feathers or sequins are placed on shoes or in hair. “I wanted clothes that you could wear every day and throw in the washing machine. »
Daniel Roseberry named his collection Schiaparelli. “A sensational daily life”. “I realized that the more familiar a piece is, a crisp white shirt, a flowing trench coat, a black tuxedo jacket, the more enjoyable it is to rediscover it by associating it with the codes of the house.”, explains the designer. Therefore, long black jersey covered with jeweled buttons in the shape of eyes or nipples adorn the dress; a black wool coat with sharp shoulders and a defined waist, adorned with the house’s signature tape measure; Japanese raw denim trousers are emphasized with pieces in the same tone… More exciting than ever. But otherwise it wouldn’t be fashion week.
