Rick Owens Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

Rick Owens presented a beautiful, almost intergalactical royal collection. The models looked as if they were goddesses from another world. No gothic darkness, but majestic beauties crowned with a hair comb in almost classic silhouettes in white, gray, brown and green.

Skirts were extreme, in volume or length, pearly toned jackets or cut away tops armored the upperbody. The architecture of cut, shape and form gave clarity to clothes, even when there were layers.

Balmain Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

At Balmain Christophe Decarnin continues to mix rock, punk and glam into a sexy collection. Safetypins, studs, torn and bleached jeans, scratched leather and faded prints seemed to be the key-elements – and a huge inspiration for rip-of collections to come.

Decarnin told the press he’s a punk fan, and that his office is full of Sex Pistols-pictures.  So he sent out his punk-princesses dressed in faded stars-and-stripes tanktops, acid bleached jeans and biker-jackets with studs and safetypins all over. And not to mention the micro-shorts and mini’s.

It all lookd young, raw and energetic – but to make punk a high end fashion-trend again is a bit too easy. First: the street does it better and more authentic, second stores like H&M and Berschka already sell stuff like this and third who’s going to pay a few thousand euro for an old bikerjacket while you can do it yourself ? We’ll see.

Zac Posen Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

It was the first time Zac Posen presented his collection during Paris Fashion Week. It looks he brought American glamour to France. But is also looked as if he thinks women have nothing better to do than going to cocktails and parties – besides a few daytime-clothes his collection was all about eveningwear.

There was no visible fashion direction at all, not the minimalist nor the 70’s glamour or color. Instead he throwed in black lace, feathers and fur for his showgirl boudoir-theme. Most of the time it was over the top, but there were some beauties like black ombre silk gown with feathers on each shoulder. We definitely will see that one back at the red carpet.

Balenciaga Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

Again, Nicolas Ghesquiere suprised us with a very streetwise-collection, this time with influences from the punk-era. By the choice of his models Ghesquiere already explained the theme of his show: to express identity and individuality. Besides 6 supermodels – like Stella Tennant, Carolyn Murphy and Gisele Bundchen – he also casted 6 girls at the streets of Amsterdam, Belgium and Copenhagen.

The look was streetwear infused with a bit of London punk and retro teddy boys. Every garment was treated, coated, lacquered and manipulated by hand. For example: some leathers were embroidered with PVC to make it look fake and knits were coated with brushed silk. He also mixed couture techniques with modern edge laser cutting.

The collection was dominated by thick, molded leathers lacquered with big houndstooth patterns in red, black, white and blue. More or less feminine were the draped dresses and sleeveles shirts with neon lace inserts. The overall look was boyish, and it was the designers purpose to react to ‘a certain kind of sexiness’ as he told the press.

Gareth Pugh Video Fashion Paris SS2011

For now the British designer Gareth Pugh sticks with video to present his collection. Not that it’s cheaper or saves time, but it makes him show and express his collection in the way he wants it.

Every now and then a designer is experimenting with video. Those clips are great to watch, but it somehow leaves you unsatisfied. It’s the tension in the room, the music, the smell of clothes and  everything that gets together during a show that creates that special vibe. But anyway, Pugh made a wonderful 11 minutes videoclip starring Kirsten McMenamy. Filmmaker Ruth Hogben was responsible for the short movie and in an interview with the International Herald Tribune she said: “I was completely led by Gareth’s designs. I try to make a representation of every piece of fabric, every shape and sculpture. I am trying to convey Gareth’s world. I play with scale, physically some parts are quite claustrophobic. There is a lot of freedom, depth and space — a vast, endless infinity of the world.”

Nick Knight, who will present the video at www.SHOWstudio.com, is a great instignator of fashion on film. In the IHT he explained why: “Firstly, it is a true artistic expression that the designers can control,” he said. “Secondly they can get so many more people, from 300 to three million. And because — although it hasn’t happened yet — designers will want to sell their clothes.”

The collection is built around modular jackets, rubberized neoprene, stretch silk jersey and high-tech effects of geometric silicone pattern and digitally printed clothes. It is possible to order the garments directly while watching the video online.

(Pictures: Gareth Pugh Lookbook)

Intermezzo: Klavers van Engelen Collection SS2011

In their ongoing quest to keep their design principles pure and their fashion elegant, Niels Klavers and Astrid van Engelen went back to their minimal approach. They wanted to create maximum effect with less and less interventions.

Square shaped panels turn into flowing, slightly complex yet easy fitting shapes once addressing the body. Seams, necklines and collars in draped silks (and fine blends) are glued instead of stitched, leather is left completely unfinished while other, more structured fabrics are finished with a tiny cover stitch only.  And for the first time Klavers van Engelen used prints. The color palette based on shadowy shades of black and sand perfectly balances out in an ocean of blue.

Again the designduo made a collection that looked simply beautiful from the outside, as if it was created accidentally. But take a closer look and you’ll see true designs that will keep surprising you by every movement and still make you feel elegant.

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.

Hakaan Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

Hakaan Yildirim was this year’s winner of the french Andam-award and the designer – with roots in Turkey and based in London – presented a solid collection in head to toe cream or black for the first time in Paris. He must be a hot ticket, since he somehow managed to get supermodels like Daria Werbowy to walk the show. She opened the show in a slouchy jacket and tapering trousers.

His overall look was minimalist-sexy, with a long elongated silhouette and floorsweeping mermaid dresses. He also presented tunics and minidresses asymmetrical cut and with pleated inserts.

Rochas Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

For his Spring Summer 2011 Collection for Rochas Marco Zanini was inspired by a recent trip to his mother’s country of origin Sweden. In the small town of Fjakelmyra he met local artist Slotts Barbro who is well-known for her traditional canvas prints and asked her to create some exclusive prints for Rochas.

To these typical Swedish prints poetic phrases of French writer Françoise Sagan were added as: “Les merveuilleux nuages” or “Dans un mois, dans un an..” on head scarves, skirts, dresses, and knitted cardigans.

Another eminent pattern, besides the Swedish folkloric print, was a peonies floral print from the early 20th century Bucol archive. Long silk satin slip dresses were washed, hung to dry without ironing to give them a vintage boudoir feel.

The color palette ranged from Indigo blue, mud brow, chartreuse yellow to grass green.

Zanini played with all different kinds of silk: silk satin for dresses and blouses, taffeta for flower printed full skirts, hand-punched silk shantung to give texture to a white full dress, lightweight woven raw silk with topstitched silk lining for loose jackets. The overall mood of the collection was romantic and a bit folkloric.

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.

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