Gabriela Hearst, designer, displayed her green spirit by setting up her Chloe show during Paris Fashion Week on Thursday in a famous Parisian greenhouse. But stars like Maria Sharapova and Demi Moore were the ones that appeared to be blooming in the Parc Andre Citroen’s bare sands.
These are highlights from Thursday’s fall-winter 2022 ready to wear shows.
CHLOE’S TXTURE-RICH ECONOMY
The Chloe designer, Uruguayan-born, has made ecology her main focus throughout her tenure at Chloe. Thursday’s show featured the interiors of a Parisian greenhouse, which were sand-swept and decorated in the colors of climate crisis. Vermilions, bright tangerine oranges and reds against the blacks represented a forest that was destroyed by fire. Pale hues in whites and creams symbolized drought and melting glaciers. Inspiration for the pared-down silhouettes, which featured gently contrasting textures, came from cinema. Franco Zeffirelli’s 1973 film “Brother Son and Sister Moon”, which chronicles the life of the Patron saint of Ecologists, was Franco Zeffirelli’s inspiration. It featured puff sleeves, simple lines with scallop motifs, body-hugging knits, and simple lines. Although there were many great moments, like the black leather cutaway dress with ethnic discs at the torso and the black leather cut-away gown, the aesthetic felt drained at times. Perhaps it was because of the admirable energy that was devoted to promoting its low environmental footprint. Chloe proudly stated that it had achieved its annual goal of 56% less impact materials at the ready-to wear show thanks to Hearst.
RICK OWENS BLOWS SMOKES
Models with disorganized forms, long tubular arms and elongated shoulders walked out to Rick Owens’ latest fashion show, which creatively explored softness and draping.
The collection was dominated by wild, gothic and alien-styled hair. It felt almost like a party with its billowing smoke machine.
This fall-winter collection was given a quirky, unexpected edge by deconstructed garments. These included oval-shaped jackets with frayed edges and disheveled gloves that looked like you could wash them. One gown made with shreds cloth that reminded me of a hippy Mary Magdalene.
Quirks that looked like a bubble tube in python printed looked amazing. It almost seemed like the model was being eaten.
Owens wrote a touching message to the conflict in Ukraine at the end of his program notes. He said that he has “always found great relief that somehow in the history of mankind good has somehow always triumphed over evil.”
ISABEL MARANT’S MUSIC
Isabel Marant, the Parisian fashion guru, was in a celebratory mood on Thursday night. She performed a concert alongside her runway show. It was a good way to explain to guests why they received a wooden instrument as an invitation.
The brand created a glamorous formula of sparkle and ’80s style in an annex of the Palais Royal in Paris. Live music was set against a sparkling sculpture of metallic spheres.
Disco dresses with glittering sequins, swaying fringes, and stripper boots so wide that they looked like fishermen’s waders.
These statement boots in silver, white coffee, and black were chicly worn over jeans or over ’80s’ minidresses.
The provocation was made more comfortable by the soft, fuzzy sweater-dresses. However, many styles gave rise to a sense of déjà vu.
COPERNI’S QIRKS
Designers Arnaud Valillant and Sebastien Meyers went to Coperni to find inspiration for a new, quirky and funny show.
The guests were seated in wall-to-wall school lockers that looked like a mix of preppy school boarders and Catholic nuns.
The show began with black stockings that were thigh high. It was part schoolgirl and part novice. A tongue-in-cheek theme continued with interesting plays on a triangular-shaped black habit worn with elegance by Bella Hadid, model of the moment. In rebellion against the strict vestimentary rules of an imagined religious school, she wore a minimal mini.
There were many great silhouettes in this creative cauldron, including a black belt which served as a top-hem and was extended horizontally to either end.
