Jay Ahr
The fourth day of Paris Fashion Week seemed to have an undercurrent of deep poetry and fantasy. While the mystical forest was prime inspiration for designers Issey Miyake, Odeeh, and Alice + Olivia, other creators relied on their expert knowhow in creating their personal ultimate woman.
Influenced by the fashion evolution of the 1970s and British tastemaker Malcolm McLaren, Creative Director of Jay Ahr Jonathan Riss presented a collection in which movement pervaded, with oscillating fringes, and alluring shapes. Riss’ immense adoration for unalloyed lines allowed his collection to be both dynamic and provocative. Trumped up pleated leather formed the house’s signature trompe l’œil dress. Undulating zips were fused onto knee length Japanese denim skirts and a shaggy faux black and white fur jacket winked to an era of vogueing that Riss has adeptly reshaped.
Alexandre Vauthier / Photography Mathieu Cesar
Alexandre Vauthier took the seductive edge from his haute couture line and translates it into everyday wear for Autumn/Winter 2014. Still focusing on exciting colours such as electric yellow, teal, and warm maroon, Vauthier showcased dresses with gold embroidery on the cuffs and braided leather skirts. Slinky body suits can be paired with sleek outerwear, making Vauthier’s woman sophisticated on the outside and oh-so-sexy on the inside.
Issey Miyake / Photography Ger Ger
The Issey Miyake runway show was divided into three scenes, in tune with the pulse of forest life. For the first scene, Creative Director Yoshiyuki Miyamae drew inspiration from tree rings to create ringed pleats on shirts and dresses. Designs were conceptualised further as fabrics were coated with multiple layers of special resins that created a vibrant textured effect. For the final scene, Issey Miyake’s brand new “3D Steam Stretch” technique was used where textural waves were made by simply steaming the garment. As a result, models walked down the runway with buoyant garments, reflecting the joyful magic of a forest.
Hip hop, haute culture, and Japanese couture rhythmically fluctuated back and forth in Julien David’s show, like an exquisite fashion-fuelled concerto. Inspired by the notion of “control & release,” the Parisian designer conquered the runway with inventive, elongated silhouettes, using black as a basis for constructing his assorted shapes. Harmonising high-end street wear, David freely sprung from an elegant arrangement of dark fabrics, to a metallic métier of multicolour fringe dresses paired with chic parkas.
After unveiling her fairytale collection at the McKittrick Hotel in New York, Stacey Bendet for Alice + Olivia brought her enchanted story to Paris to tap into the French market. Bendet’s precise eye for tailoring and feminine patterns such as hearts and butterfly wings has done wonders for this collection, infused with vintage Victorian charm. Incredibly rich in variety, the garments were crafted in smooth velvet and delicate lace.
Sonia Rykiel
Sonia Rykiel seemed quite unassuming at first in her collection, but after further inspection, garments allowed unforeseen moments of exposure so that a sliver of skin could be seen as the model moved. What started as oversized, luxurious fur coats quickly transformed into yet more refined silhouettes with rose prints and the word “moi” as a repeated graphic. In colours such as camel, acid yellow, white, and lavender, Rykiel’s collection was designed for the purest of comforts.
The amalgamation of tantalising textures and meticulous details were the leitmotif in German brand Odeeh’s A/W 2014 collection. Structural patterns, knits and textured outerwear were saturated in dark, earthy tones, reminiscent of a mystical forest. A voluminous printed vest marked with ivory tulips and embroidered turquoise stones reminded us of dragonflies soaring through autumn leaves.
A.F Vandervorst / Photography Ger Ger
Upon entering Friday’s A.F Vandevorst show, we were hypnotised by the coquettish siren of footwear, a pair of three million dollar diamond encrusted boots inspired by Chinese lotus shoes. The boots insulated a model’s assumedly diamond manicured toes as she lazed in a glass case amongst the invitees. The world’s most expensive shoes, however, weren’t the only commodities shinning — the Belgian husband-wife duo ironically exhibited an understated, minimal collection that trickled with modernistic, neutral tones and outstanding outerwear. A militant attitude impregnated the collection as a mix of leather and wool caps were paired with cargo-style jumpsuits and trousers.
Yohji Yamamoto / Photography Monica Feudi
Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto closed the fourth day of Paris Fashion Week with billowing volumes and bold prints. Yamamoto’s poetic designs included enveloping bell-shaped coats and technical parachute jackets. Vivid colours, such as turquoise and pink, were later introduced to the collection as a mélange of graffiti-inspired, paint splattered prints. There were patterns of flowers in chains, inner workings of gears, robots, and monsters. This incredibly graphic collection left us stunned, knowing that Yamamoto’s muse is more than equipped to brave any winter ahead.
Words / Sheri Chiu and Chloe Rash
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