Daily favorites in Paris

Every day there is a short list of favorites I’ve seen at the shows. Yesterday the collection of Dries really stood out because of his extra-ordinairy and casual mix of masculine and feminine looks, especially the oversized jackets I loved.

I was also struck by the hair and make up at Limi Feu, the big wide curly hair, one eye hidden and the other made up with black eyeliner and a thick layer of mascara. An the soundtrack was great too, classical music mixed with phrases sung by Billy Holiday.

The day ended with Rue du Mail by Martine Sitbon. The designer played with sheer, colored layers over black or cream dresses. My favorite is the blue dress with visible seams and pleats. The layering look very dynamic and modern.

Dries van Noten Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

The oversized jacket at Dries van Noten set the tone of his spring summer collection. No firework of colors, no frills. It turned out to be a quiet, almost poetic collection with elements of workwear (jeans, heavy cotton), chinoiserie (the kimono-dresses, flowerprints, the silk) and menswear.

Colors were light, almost etheral – the lightest tints of gray, yellow, pink and blue – slightly turning into heavier shades, there was also a lot of white, denimblue, marine and black. The mix felt very contemporary and cosmopolitan, like the high-waisted pencilskirts with kimono-blouses or the couture-like tunic with wide pants.

Dries van Noten continues to mix streetinfluences in his collections, like he did this winter with the armywear. It gives his soft voiced style a modern toughness.

Dries van Noten Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

For his spring summer 2011-collection Dries van Noten looked at the mod and ska, two Britisch subcultures. From the mods he took the precise tailoring and classic coats. The ska-influence was visible in the snow washed denim, sleeveless t-shirts, short jackets and the black and white.

The styling looked a bit boyish now and then with the baggy bermudas, armyboots and doublebreasted jackets. Navy, white and black were the main colors, with a touch of seventies brown.

Some shirts and jackets stood out because of the splashed watercolors, they were actually handpainted by a couture-atelier in Lake Como. But somehow this was not one of Van Noten’s best collections. It looked a bit forced and lacked that typical casual/romantic/gentleman feeling.

spring is in the air #9

Time for some bare legs, beautiful shoes and an African touch. Dries van Noten mixed French elegance with tribal influences. Great for spring!

The best of Paris Fashion Week FW2010

The Paris fashion week was the last fashion week of the season, but it was worth the wait. The brands in our top 4 (Celine, Dries van Noten, Lanvin and Louis Vuitton) all showed beautiful, wearable clothes in which women can feel confident and sexy.

Celine
The Celine fahion show was one to remember while it was a great follow-up for the amazing collection Phoebe Pilo showed for spring. Cause just like Pilo’s first collection for Celine this one was simplistic, yet never boring. Or as she described it herself: ‘Strong, Powerful, Reduced.’ The best fabrics were used and the clothes were made with Pilo’s signature clean and sophisticated cut. Shades of navy, black and white alternated each other. Leather details, like collars and pocket, and transparent fabrics gave the looks a bit of an edge. There’s no doubt this elegant and sexy collection will get it’s approval from Celine’s loyal customers. It had everything the women had been waiting for ever since Helmut Lang left the runway.

Dries van Noten
As one of the first designers to present his collection Dries van Noten managed to design exactly the kind of clothes women feel confident in. His designs were wearable, comfortable, feminine and refreshing. And the great thing about it; the models didn’t look as if they’d spent hours in front of the mirror. It seemed like they had just mixed and matched some of their own basics with some designer items. Therefore they looked streetwise and sophisticated at the same time. Two elements that really struck us were the colorful floral prints and the silver embroideries on the sleeves. Dries van Noten did a great job making fashion seem effortless, for once.

Lanvin
Dries van Noten wasn’t the only designer who proved he knew what women want. Alber Elbaz showed some great style as well. On the runway he built a stairway to heaven from which the models started their walk. They wore the cutest cocktail dresses and the most elegant evening gowns. Those dresses looked easy to wear, but were never simple. While most designs were very flattering, classy and still modern many women will feel comfortable wearing them. The collection felt urban, yet also had a light African tribal influence originating from Elbaz’ background (he was born in Morocco ). The tribal details were visible in the accessories, feathers and furry details. And we’re sure that between all those different items there was a little something for every woman.

Louis Vuitton
On the final day of the Paris fashion week Marc Jacobs once more amazed the world of fashion by presenting a 50’s/60’s inspired collection. He must have had the same thought as Miuccia Prada, only he took it a little further. His (full-figured) models (Laetitia Casta, Bar Refaeli, Catherine McNeil, Karolina Kurkova, Elle Macpherson) looked as feminine as ever with their wasp-waists, long circle skirts and full busts. Jacobs also re-introduced the famous Speedy bag. The show was inspired by the movie ‘And god created woman’ which made Brigit Bardot famous thus the models wore their hair in BB-inspired bouncy ponytails. The fashion spectacle was held around a fountain in the middle of a tented courtyard. It made up for a wonderful Parisian atmosphere, the perfect ending of a great fashion season.

Dries van Noten Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2010

It was a different setting and a different collection at Dries van Noten. Especially after his colorful mix & match of east & west this spring, and the show he held in an empty and  stripped bank. His casual/elegant fall/winter collection was presented in one of the gilded salons of the Hotel de Ville. Malcolm Mclaren did the soundtrack: sweet and classical with angry singing.

Army green became elegant and feminine when used in tailored skirts, pants and sleeveless trench-like coats. Gray popped up in tailored jackets, big sweaters and dresses. The hourglass silhouette was also present here, thanks to the  full skirts.

The realist floral prints (in red, blue and green), men’s inspired jackets and animal prints gave it just that rebel feeling. But also because it looked like these women just put their outfit together without thinking too much about the effect and result. This was how they felt and how sthey wanted to look.

Beautiful. Casual. Sensual. Original. Femine.

Paris Catwalk Fashion Show fw2010: Dries van Noten

Dries van Noten knows his way with menswear, with just that little touch of eccentricity and panache.

The Belgium designer focused at graphic details, think black (or red) and white stripes, piping, mixing checks and stripes and he took inspiration from the English jockeys. From dressed down sweat-styled trousers and bold electric blue separates to contrasting inserts, Van Noten’s man proved to be confident and stylish.

Groupielove #5

After a couple of seasons of citified dressing, collectors of Dries may well be pining for his more eclectic, decorative pieces. If so, they’ll find plenty of them: coats, soft boxy jackets, wrapped dresses, and sarong skirts in a plethora of fabrics and embroideries that looked as if they’d been sourced from a trip around the markets of China and Southeast Asia.

In among them, there were items—like the silver lamé tank with a sheer back, the khaki shorts, and the sparkly jackets—that will also allow fans to dip into trend without going overboard. The incredible necklaces—rich-looking pearl chokers dangling geometric pendants set with large semiprecious stones and crystal—made gorgeous viewing.

Paris Fashion Week Impressions #17

Dries van Noten Catwalk Fashion Show ss2010

It’s been a long time Dries van Noten used his famous and favorite ethnic influences to create a collection. Somehow it never went away, it just waited under the surfaces of other collections to be used when required. After a sober, classic but colorful winter-collection Dries van Noten went East again. This time very restraint, elegant and somehow French. It was the arty jewelry (wit big crystal-stones), two-tone shoes, wet hair and bare faces (no make-up at all ) that gave it an intellectual touch. Van Noten mixed his all time classics in different prints – batik, ikat, stripes, Chinese embroidery – and beautiful colors from aubergine and black to white, red, blue and beige. The game was played by texture, print and proportions. Stiff 3/4 trousers, flowing silk dresses, skirts hanging on the hips with too short sweaters. It was sporty, chic and ladylike with a masculine touch. Perfect clothes for grown up women who want to dress fashionable and beautiful without screaming it out loud.

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