Marine Serre
I’ve taken you to Milan, and now it’s time for Paris to follow. Marine Serre opened the Paris shows and made us all think of the future. With her Autumn/Winter 2020 collection, the designer touched upon issues like global warming and pandemics. But, instead of focusing on the fear, there was a sense of hope. As she said backstage before the show, “the hardest part is to keep calm in the eye of the storm.”
As the guests sat, Bedouin-style, in a sci-fi scenario inspired by Frank Herbert’s classic Dune, an army of models passed by wearing face masks but what really caught my eye was the selection of vintage fringed carpets mixed with denim jackets. Sure that wasn’t the only highlight of the collection as mini-me versions of the models walked by suggesting a bright future may still await the human race. Also, hands down for the use of recycled elements in half of the outfits and the sharp execution of the entire collection.
Chloé
Chloé‘s Natacha Ramsay-Levi is taking collaborations to the art level while making clothes for real lives. Exploring contemporary femininity, the designer worked with her longtime friend, painter Rita Ackermann, bringing artwork from her archive to the Autumn/Winter 2020 Chloé ready to wear and accessories.
And collaborations don’t stop here as sculptor Marion Verboom also created gilded totems that decorated the runway and singer Marianne Faithfull read Byron’s “She Walks in Beauty” and some other poems as a soundtrack for the show. Everything merged perfectly with the soft blouses, romantic dresses, floral prints to which Ramsay-Levi added a personal touch as in jewelled buttons and cuff links or enamel embroidery.
Vivienne Westwood by Andreas Kronthaler
Vivienne Westwood took over the Hotel de Ville for the ninth collection made in collaboration with her husband, Andrea Kronthaler. “Nine symbolises universal love, spiritual law and spiritual awakening, and service to mankind. Nine is the number for those who live and lead in life by positive example,” explained the designer. This time the living legend went for elegant outfits that combined punk-inspired influences with timeless silhouettes.
Bella Hadid had a major moment walking down the runway in a wedding gown, equipped with a sword holster on her belt proving, once again, that Westwood knows how to put on a show. Other elements to be added on the list are the headpieces in the shape of Marge Simpson’s hair, Little Red Riding Hood capelets with animal ears, medieval ribbons, and sparkling boots.
Ralph & Russo
Celebrating the living moments that define us, each look of the Ralph & Russo Autumn/Winter 2020 collection reflected a moment in time, a place, a feeling. Tamara Ralph channelled the spirit of being universally unbound by a region, culture or way of life. She shared a sartorial reflection of all continents travelled and nostalgic representation of the living moment; from her camel military-style trench coats and paratrooper jumpsuits in camouflage- denim to bell sleeve mini-dresses and sensual kimono-style eveningwear in silk or velvet gothic floral prints. Presenting the international explorer, as a result, this season’s muse is inspired by diversity and the clothing remains an expression of their readiness to take on the world.
Issey Miyake by Satoshi Kondo
When it comes to Issey Miyake, helmed by Satoshi Kondo, we are used by this point to expect a performance from the brand and this season couldn’t have been different. The main idea of the show was “the fun and joy of making things with your own hands – remembering the vibrancy of colour, the rhythm of making, with our five senses like sounds resonating through the body.”
Seven sections were spotted, each having a descriptive name such as “Kone Kone,” and coming in pure colours, mostly white combined with light mauve and patchworks of bright colours as in orange, turquoise or sunshine-yellow. I couldn’t end this without mentioning the most joyful finale of the season, that most probably made everyone smile as models were walking with this cheerful energy and big smiles on their faces, wearing pieces of knitwear with arm, leg, and hand holes.
Redemption
“There is more rebellion in elegance than in lazy laissez-faire, at any time of the day,” were the words that stood by the latest collection of Bebe Moratti, the designer behind Redemption. A Night at the Opera, a collection inspired by Queen’s 1975 album, has an elegant touch but is keeping a rebel spirit that came out from the love for rock ‘n roll.
The opposition of male and female marks the tone in elegant contrasts of sartorial cuts and sensual draperies, of rigor and languid abandon, of opaque wool and shiny satin. This season the Redemption menswear line was launched, in the same elegantly rebellious vein. Three-piece suits and tuxedos, coats and duffle coats, velvet jackets, and jeans gained an insolent touch, with a dry silhouette in velvets, braided lurex wool, tweed, certified denim. Those were some of the highlights of the collection.
Rahul Mishra
The gentleness of the sky paved the way to realizing this collection that draws parallels from Rahul Mishra’s latest couture collection. With keen intention, the designer chose to nurture the story and thematic interpretations explored for couture. From a sunlit sky graced by airy clouds to starry nights and the mysterious artistry of ocean beds — all played muse to the vision for this collection in his signature language of hand embroidery.
The inclusive spirit of easy-to-wear clothes enabled a sort of diversification of couture techniques. Shape-shifting dresses and gowns in hand-embroidered flora and fauna, crafted to meet the unbridled imagination of couture, are translated into blazers, tops, trousers, knee-length skirts that are functional yet instilled with a unique essence of craftsmanship. Enhancing accessibility to handcrafted easy-to-wear pieces, the collection represents fashion that is engaging and connects buyers and patrons to true craftsmanship.
words. Landiana Yolo
all pictures are courtesy of the brands or taken by Landiana
Schön! Magazine is now available in print at Amazon,
as ebook download + on any mobile device
