Junya Watanabe Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

While military and outdoor sports were the two themes of Junya Watanabe’s show, army green shades were visible throughout the whole collection.

Tall girls with eye-catching, architectural, blond wigs and somewhat pale, camouflage covered faces strolled down the runway. Their wigs were so big that when two girls passed one another the wigs’ ends would touch each other.

The models wore their waisted coats and jackets in army green or with a camouflage print. They looked tough and feminine at the same time. Especially since their coats were combined with skirts and leggings. Besides, those coats were double breasted (masculine) at the front and pleated (feminine) at the back. And their heavy fabrics (masculine) were mixed with the satin of the skirts (feminine). The models wore black leather shoes and caps or (fake-fur) hoods on their heads.

For a change the models were dressed right for the season: fall/winter. No airy dresses or revealing tops at Watanabe. From under their thick jackets his models only showed as much as their uncovered hands, faces and ankles.

Haider Ackermann Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

Haider Ackermann keeps surprising and spoiling his audience with beautiful, strong collections where he folds and twists leather as if it was chiffon and where he creates a poetic atmosphere with his sensual but strong layered mix.

Ackermann toughened up his collection with stiffer fabrics – wool, leather – and added softness with silk and satin for tops and cutout, buttersoft leather for long dresses. Main colors were brown, black and (silver)gray.

The accent was at the waist, tailored jackets formed the basis of the collection. He played with zipped and unzipped parts of jackets and tops which he folded and twisted until they looked like the curls of chocolate-shavings.

Still he maintained that slim, long silhouette although there were some shiny, straight outfits without any curve that looked rather new. It looks like Ackermann is exploring new ways of playing his game of texture and density.

Yohji Yamamoto Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

Fleece blankets had to be handed out to the audience at the Yohji Yamamoto show. There was no heat in the venue. After Yamamoto filed for bankruptcy protection in October many stores had to be closed. So maybe Yamamoto had to cut down on his heat expenses. Fortunately his fall collection soon made people forget about the cold.

Yamamoto showed a fine collection of navy, black and ivory pieces. He designed lots of sober asymmetrical coats and pinafore dresses. Pleated and netting fabrics were used a lot.

Due to the colors and the oversized shapes not a lot of the designs felt very feminine, yet they all had something special.

The coats in this collection will probably sell the best. And since there were a lot of them Yamamoto needn’t worry about the future of his brand. With more collections like this the Japanese brand will surely survive.

Maison Martin Margiela Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

That was a good old Margiela-show: held in an empty industrial complex, seated in second hand chairs, drinking cheap wine and watching a collection with all the elements Margiela is known for. Mixing expectations, menswear and womenswear, exaggeration and extreme tailoring.

The pressrelease called it A new definition of the men’s wardrobe’ and ‘Menswear morphs into womenswear’. The result was a pretty sophisticated collection, with precise cut and impeccable finishing.

Sleeves of perfect cut jackets were blown up, waistlines of skirts and pants were floating as if the model had no waist and hips. Instead it gave her the straight silhouette of a man. Silk chiffon layers suggested lightness and distinction, especially when worn with rough knitted wool cardigans or big furry jackets and hats.

Typical men’s artefacts were blown up to become women’s jewellery: cufflinks turned into bracelets and rings, watchbands became maxi-belts, keyrings changed into necklaces. And the famous white Margiela box morphed into a new clutch-box.

It was good to see the team behind the Maison is back on the track after the designer Martin Margiela left. Although the concept of the show looked familiar. Let’s hope they will get ahead of us soon.

Lanvin Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

You can see in every detail of Alber Elbaz’ designs for Lanvin that he loves his job, but – above all – that he loves women and that he understands their way of dealing with clothes. No difficult shapes or silhouettes, but flattering dresses, sporty & elegant jumpsuits and classy but also modern skirtsuits. His fall winter collection was inspired by tribal cultures, it was in the dark and earthy colors, the accessories, the feathers and furry details, the black hair and in the shoes.

Elbaz doesn’t dictate his clients what to wear, he suggests and gives them the freedom to add big, chunky accessories and ultra high heels. He gives them the tools, like fierce dresses with ultra-wide coat-shoulders, dresses with one arm cut-away in red and pine-green, big coats, pleated skirts and a sensual suits – the women make it their own.

Maybe that’s why the stage – a stairway to heaven – was so symbolic. Once you wear a Lanvin, it really feels like heaven.

Vivienne Westwood Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

Fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel, the Sleeping Beauty and Jack and the Beansteak were Westwood’s inspiration for her Prince Charming (fall) collection. Her models wore large colorful crowns, hats and cloaks. Their lips were bright red, their eyes were dark and some models had small mustaches painted on their faces. Very fairy tale-like indeed.

Like children love fairy tales they would have loved this colorful collection. The brightest pieces (in purple, red, mustard yellow and blue) were combined together. Colored leggings, belts, enormous hats and big bags completed the looks. Every item seemed to add more fun to the collection. Yet, apart from a pair of printed black and gold leggings, we probably wouldn’t leave the house soon in any of the designs. The shapes just looked too crazy and many items didn’t look finished.

The emphasized shoulders and the voluminous dresses were two great aspects of the show. Towards the end a white dress with floral prints and a light-colored waist belt looked lovely. An orange/pink gown felt like French couture and would also look perfect on the Sleeping Beauty (plus sleeping is probably the best thing to do in a delicate dress like that).

As in this year’s menswear shows Vivienne Westwood paid some attention to climate change. According to her climate change is, at the moment, the context of everything she does. ‘Like everyone who has woken up to the fact that we are endangered species I try to do something about it. And I wish to understand the world’, she said. Still, apart from a water bottle with the message ‘Stop climate change’ on our seats the problem wasn’t visible during the show.

With this collection Westwood showed a good game of dressing up. But although we knew the inspiration (fairy tales) of the show we didn’t get the one model that seemed to be calling on her cell. We also didn’t understand the dress full of paper streamer. As far as we’re concerned that dress was never worn in any fairy tale. So when we heard ‘If you could read my mind love’ at the end of the show we actually wanted to read Vivienne’s. Caus some parts of the show we just didn’t get.

Christian Dior Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

The fall/wintercollection of Christian Dior was a polished version of the haute coutureshow, where the Libertines were John Galliano’s inspiration. Again tough riding-clothes were mixed with more romantic dresses, tops and skirts. It was a well done clash of the historical masculine and feminine, something John Galliano likes the most.The result was sensual and sophisticated without screaming too loud.

He opened the show with a brown leather coat over a ruffled, chiffon dress- romantic at its best. But there were also tailored coats, ruffled dresses in perforated leather, checked jackets and jodhpurs. This seasons hot items – the big knitted sweater and cardigan – were also present, yet with sensual, lingerie-like details like ribbons and lace.

Manish Arora Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

I remember helping his models get dressed for a show he gave in the Netherlands. I was amazed by the colorful architectural designs he had created. I loved how his designs were embroidered with crystals and beads. It was all so different from everything I had seen before.

With his fall/winter collection Manish Arora proved he still had that ability to amaze people. We were wowed by an off white dress with eye-catching, padded shoulders and a strange print. A dress with a pink peacock pattern and a gray sequined top caught our attention as well.

Apart from the peacock influences and some floral details Arora used a lot of geometrical prints in every color of the rainbow (all made from beads and crystals). The emphasize of the clothes was clearly on the shoulders and upper arms. Rounded and pointy designs alternated each other.

As if there wasn’t enough color used in the clothes all model wore bright, short wigs and contrasting colorful eye make-up. The last three girls even had a luminous bundle of treads on both side of their heads.

Manish Arora’s show full was a lot of fun to watch. Not all designs will be very wearable, but when you show this much creativity in a collection wearability is not all that matters.

Nina Ricci Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

For the first time since Olivier Theyskens had left Nina Ricci the brand was on the official schedule of the Paris Fashion Week. That must have been a relief for Peter Copping.

With his second Nina Ricci collection he wanted to ‘appeal and relate to different types of women’, he said. Yet the ladies we encountered at his show were not that diverse. In their below the knee dresses they all looked like sophisticated, up-town girls.

The fall collection, inspired by the Belle Epoque/Bausch had the same romantic feeling as the Ricci spring collection, though there was more contrast visible this time. Woollen coats were combined with airy transparent tops. Tulle and leather were mixed in several looks as well.

Many outfits were decorated with flowers and had feminine details like ruffles, pleats and lace. It all looked very graceful. Still the flowers were a bit overwhelming on some dresses.

The final dresses were, apart from some cutouts and transparent parts, very winterproof. They touched the floor and were worn with large overcoats of the same length. Those dresses and coats surely will have to be shortened for the average women, cause even the feet of the tall models were not visible any longer.

Some say Copping still has to learn how to let his own voice speak after many years at Louis Vuitton. But we think he already did a good job. Some of the long dresses might just end up being worn at the Oscars this weekend.

Streetfashion Paris FW2010 Day 2

What are you wearing during the coming fashionweeks? Your Balenciaga-heels, your latest Marni-dress or that vintage YSL? Maybe we’ll spot you in Paris, Milan, New York or Amsterdam. During the fashionweeks we refresh our streetwear posts regularly. We don’t judge, we’re not the fashion-police, we just enjoy fashion and your own personal style. Next stop: Paris.

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