Hermès Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Christophe Lemaire opened his show  with a group of platinum-card-holding gaucho girls, with tweed blanket shawls fringed in black leather, ballooning pants tucked into boots.  The South American accent gave an sexy accent to the masculine tailoring. The sizing was loose and generous. The outerwear was strong, especially woolen coats and capes in green. There was also a Hermès version of the tracksuit: T-shirs, cardigan and slim pants in light suede in spicy shades. For evening Lemaire suggested silk skirts in foulard prints and loose velvet tops.

Costume National Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Yes it was a dark collection, but it was an elegant kind of dark. So instead of studded rough leather designer Ennio Capasa created gracefully cut leather pieces, that formed rich details on skirts, coats and pants. And not only the leather was in perfect ‘shape’; every single item in the show was perfection. We would love to get our hands on those majestic coats, powerful pleated pants and minimalistic dresses. The only few items that were a bit off were a series of see through turtle necks, with tape on them to cover the models nipples. The rest of the collection proved Capasa is classier than that and a more subtle kind of sheerness suits him and his Costume National women way better.

Comme des Garcons Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

It was basically a two-dimensional collection that Comme des Garcons sent out yesterday.A play with volume, color and pattern. The first model that stepped at the basic, unfinished plywood catwalk wore a bright red coat, big and bold when viewed full frontal and flattened in profile. Next came another coat, in pink, later a pink-and-blue circle frock. The show was an explosion of outsized graphic precision and vibrant color. With their their bright plastic helmet bobs atop clothes cut big and flat, the models looked like paper dolls.

Fabrics were structured and in clear, dense hues. Patterns – dots and flowers – were mega-big. After the flat textures came shine and a small group of girls covered in rose prints with their faces hidden in the fabric.

Junya Watanabe Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Junya Watanabe was in the mood for sartorial elegance in a mannish way, which resulted in a collection with strong tailoring and couturelike precision. Lots of  formfitting coat in a men’s check, cinched dresses in heavier fabrics, or a checked coat with a dress that combined a gray bodice in a heavy cloth with a voluminous  orange skirt in velvet.
Watanabe’s outerwear had trenchcoats with volume, as well as a trench-cape and a few blazer coats, which looked as though he stitched together a fitted jacket and a skirt in the same fabric.

Viktor & Rolf catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

At Viktor & Rolf a full moon set the mood for mysterious show. It was opened by an unlighted moving catwalk on which models posed in their structured looks. Seeing those silhouettes move across the backdrop you knew you were in for another V&R spectacle.

In line with the silky pajama for day wear trend the Dutch designers sent their first few girls on the runway in silk printed and draped ones. Extremely luxury pj’s those were with sparkly collars and fur cuffs. V&R even added some of their larger than life details, like enormous sleeves attached to the models shoulders like a sort of cape.

Everything that followed, the suits, the shorts and sheer tops, coats and evening dress, played with volume and the mixing of materials. The designers showed contrast by combining sheer delicate pieces with touches of raccoon and mink fur.

Shaved, structured fur (in stead of cute and fluffy) that is, which took the Dutch duo months to develop. It made up for the distinctive, statuesque V&R look, the theatrical touch they often add to their collections. Still, this show felt different. Looks seemed to be less about the art and spectacle and just a little bit more about wearability.

A smart move, if you ask us. We’ll probably see the Dutch brand pop up more often and other celebs than today’s front row guest Katy Perry will have a mysterious moment dressed in V&R.

Haider Ackermann Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Again Haider Ackermann presented an intriguing and beautiful collection. Ackermann’s sent out an message of power-chic fueled by both dark and artful undercurrents. A lean, even severe silhouette dominated, sometimes cinched with a sharply geometric corset belt. Ackermann incorporated serious volume and a fascination with the lower torso. This resulted in tiered and sculpted peplums, hip adornments and leathers that pushed out from the waist to be cut away into dramatic front tails. Ackermann softened it up with hooded coats and long dresses. The  colors were magical, with oranges, reds, blues and purples against earthy neutrals.

Lanvin Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Alber Elbaz not only celebrated 10 years at Lanvin with a great collection and party, he also performed at the end of the show singing ‘Que Sera Sera’. It was his party, so he could do whatever he wanted.  The collection seemed a Best of-collection, but then modernized and updated. It showed all the inventive and creative skills of this great designer: his use of colors, the cut of the silhouettes, the mix of fabrics, the shapes, the urban femininity .

The show opened with hourglass mini-dresses in bright colors and sweet, round shapes, then black leather followed and black dresses and coats. The ruffles balanced it out and made sure the clothes didn’t look to aggressive or harsh. After the show Alber Elbaz told reporters that this collection was ‘all about freedom’.

Sonia Rykiel Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

It is the second season April Chrichton is designing the collection for the house of Sonia Rykiel. This spring it’s about bold colors and style, but for next fall it’s less loud, more simple and pared down.  Like the skirtsuits with a kick flare to the skirt, shrunken jackets, jumpers and little black skirts. Shades were mainly black, white and biscuit. For eveningwear the Rykiel-girl shows her flirty side, with floaty dresses, sometimes in sheer black or with puffy little sleeves.

Christian Dior Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

With all the rumors about Dior he must be under a lot of pressure, but boy did Bill Gaytten show an amazing collection. It might just be his last one, and if so, he’s definitely leaving with his head held high.

Gracefully dressed women walked his runway in soft modern dresses and skirts. Again materials were combined in one look. Like for instance a pink dress with a diagonal leather band on it. Or a woolen embroidered version with a metallic part on the models’ breast. And not to mention those gorgeous evening gowns which had transparent sleeves or fronts and lottts of tule.

Every single design was feminine to the max; accentuated waists, flowing (New Look) skirts and ultra soft shades (nude, rose, burgundy). Also the large necklaces gave the looks extra reason to stand out.

A total of 56 looks may have been a little too much. Yet there wasn’t one look that didn’t belong in this jaw dropping collection. Props for Gayten and fingers crossed he might get to stay at Dior.

 

Rick Owens Catwalk Fashion Show Paris FW2012

Although the eruption of flames at the beginning of Rick Owens’ show suggested a sense of black magic, it turned out to be a much lighter and softer show. Dove-grey instead of pitch black, flowing dresses, layers and some great coats. Owens suggested a looser silhouette for dresses and tops that had more flow in their fit. Some of these looks were layered over drop-crotch shorts, which in Owens’ hands, were quite alluring and cool.

He also showed outerwear, including a few formfitting coats and cropped, draped leather jackets.

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