Paris Fashion Week SS17 was nothing short of thrilling. Creative directors from
Lanvin,
Dior and
Saint Laurent showed their debut collections, and
Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccoli showed for the first time as sole creative director.
Changes were also evident as brands opted for new venues and show times for presentations that evoked emotion, memories and intimacy.
Louis Vuitton, for example, moved away from the foundation in the Bois de Boulogne to its new flagship store at Place Vendome now under renovation. Saint Laurent, too, showed in its soon-to-be headquarters on Rue de Bellechasse. The injection of energy and newness applies to the collections as well.
Alexander McQueen
Inspired by the artisanal crafts from Scotland’s Shetland Island,
Sarah Burton reinterprets Shetland lace, Celtic worsted wool plaid and Fair Isle-inspired knits in the new spring-summer collection. Hand-finished paintings and lavish embroideries were seen on evening gowns as well as on leather jackets, tailored suits and denims.
Celine
Canto-pop star
Faye Wang’s rare appearance on the front row might have stolen the spotlight, but
Phoebe Philo captivated fans with yet another collection that’s unmistakably French and Celine-esque. Expect to see those perfectly cut jackets paired with cropped flared leather pants next season. Philo also used a refreshing colour palette for spring – think citron, mint and magenta.
Chanel
Spring’s “
data centre” theme might seem a bit underwhelming compared to Chanel’s other extravagant shows, but it provided a perfect playground for hi-tech ensembles. The collection was inspired by rainbow-hued wire cords while shapes and forms took cues from metallic grids and eclectic optical fibre prints.
Dior
Maria Grazia Chiuri’s first collection for Dior was a mixture of her own know-how and Dior’s heritage. The fencing-themed looks rendered in sheer lace and tulle matched with quilted vests were a master play of toughness and fragility. While Chiuri’s signature beautiful gowns featuring tarot card embroideries were aplenty, you’ll also be able to find slogan T-shirts that will certainly appeal to a new Dior client base.
Loewe
A continuation of his autumn-winter 2016 key silhouettes –long and lean, fit and flare –
J.W. Anderson approached the spring-summer collection with a softer touch – think peplum obi belt instead of corset to create volume. The feminine silhouette was accentuated by dramatic shapes and volume rendered in balloon sleeves, recurrent fringes, patchworks and pleats.
Louis Vuitton
This season, the Louis Vuitton woman is travelling back to Paris. Apart from the house’s signature luxury sports-inspired styles, lavishly embellished evening gowns were also seen on the runway, as well as a series of tailored jacket-and-skirt ensembles. The skirts were slashed and reconstructed for a whiff of Parisian cool.
Valentino
Pierpaolo Piccoli has ensured that Valentino is in good hands with the first collection he unveiled as solo creative director. For his new start, Piccoli looked to visionary masterminds such as Hieronymus Bosch for inspiration. Artist Zandra Rhodes was commissioned to reinterpret Bosch’s famous painting, “The Garden of Earthly Delights”. The prints were seen adorning new looks from the spring-summer collection.
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