Andreas Kronthaler, Vivienne Westwood, displayed a veritable commedia d’arte Saturday at Paris Fashion Week. A mad hat collection was inspired by the theater. Lanvin went from strength to strength.
Here are some highlights from ready-to-wear fall/winter 2022 shows. One Ukrainian designer escaped Kyiv to speak to The Associated Press about why he believes it is important to protest the war, especially within the fashion industry.
SIALELLI WEAVES MAGIC IN LANVIN
He has been called the “providential outr”, saving Lanvin from the creative desert after the 2015 departure of Alber Elbaz, the iconic designer, and a series of subpar replacements.
Bruno Sialelli, a relative unknown prior to being tapped in 2019, continues to weave his unique magic into the brand’s age-old brand. This will be a relief for many, particularly the French, given the special place that the house holds in their hearts.
The co-ed fall-winter show featured big shoulders and bright colors.
The collection began with a traffic-stopping fur coat in cadmium-blue, which was worn with a little black dress and a plunging V neck. The jumpsuit featured dramatic, large, curved shoulder pad that frame the silhouette like a tent. Humor — The terrain of Elbaz — was also featured with prints on fur coats that looked like a mushroom or a femme fatale covered in fur.
It was a highly-sellerable, safe collection that met all of the criteria.
TRIBUTE TO ENGLAND
Paris Fashion Week is continuing. Many attendees are thinking of the Ukrainians who are suffering in the conflict. Some creatives have been unable to attend due to the crisis.
This is particularly true for Lili Litkovskaya, the Ukrainian designer who made it to Paris. According to reports, she is the only Ukrainian designer at the shows this season. She fled Kyiv with her 2-year-old daughter on the first day after the invasion. However, she had no collection and no team.
Litkovskaya, in tribute to her peers, flew the Ukrainian flag at La Bourse during the Tranoi fashion fair that runs parallel to Fashion Week.
As part of an official anti-war protest, she stood before the Marianne statue at the Place de la Republique on Saturday.
She told the Associated Press, “My main message was that the fashion industry must show what’s happening in our country.” They must stop the war. This war affects everyone. We need your support.”
“It was horrible and difficult, and we were stuck at the border for many hours. But that’s nothing compared to what’s happening in our country, where our children, men and women are being murdered.”
KRONTHALER GETS THEATRICAL
Kronthaler, Westwood’s creative right-hand man, was in typical burlesque mode with Saturday’s bizarre fare that mixed 70s styles with medieval — explaining that he wanted to pay homage the stage for fall-winter.
He said that he wanted to create a collection about theater, the commedia d’arte. This refers to an Italian early theatrical style, which featured hyperbolic and often grotesque characters. He said, “(I’ve) been) very inspired (by this) since (being) teenager.”
Tracksuits in harlequin patterns and corset gowns were cut to billowing funeral veil, while gold truncated boots screamed Pussy in Boots-meets–Glam Rock.
Although Pulcinella, commedia dell’arte’s black-masked clown did not make an appearance in the show, many of the masks, ruching, and draping that inspired Pulcinella’s famous looks were featured.
The house’s signature was draping, which was also a major theme. Layering and deliberately contrasting styles were also big themes.
Rick Owens, a U.S. designer who aligns himself with Kronthaler’s eccentric fashion-forward aesthetics, applauded enthusiastically from the front row.
ELIE SAAB IS IN TREND
On Saturday, the Lebanese designer, who is well-known for his pastel-colored silhouettes and va-va-voom palette, took a darker turn.
Elie Saab, who is a fan of black, experimented with eyelets this season. The gold holes were worn over black pantsuits. Another fall trend was the V-neck. It was first seen on silky black gowns and then as a scallop shape that gathered out the torso with beautiful Grecian golden hems.
In another nod to this season’s fashions, shoulders were either rounded or lopped. Occasionally, however, the collection did not have a consistent visual theme.
MARINE SERE’S VISUAL DECEPTIONS
Marine Serre, the Paris Fashion Week’s new darling, used clashing patterns with skill to create dynamic visual effects.
Balenciaga was where the French designer of 30 years, Jean-Claude Balenciaga, started her career.
Many looks that achieved discord had a fashion-forward feel. A red tartan inset on long coat looked like a Prince of Wales check with flashes houndstooth at the sleeves. The long winter scarf was made of many clashing and color-rich patterns, which were then sewed together. It was worn as a sash.
This 48-piece collection had many funny moments. The large, red velvet devore face cover evoked the glamour of Spiderman. It also included a comment on the pandemic and how masks have become an integral part of our everyday lives.
