The Spotlights of Paris for AW1314
La ville lumière strikes again, and for next winter seems to tell us that when everything seems to be already said and done, and you can’t go too forwarding, then, let’ s all go emotional, doesn’t matter if you have to do it in a minimal or in a chaotic and apparently messed way. Note to self: always stay masculine and wear dark tones.
What we have seen on the catwalks is a particular emotional side of clothes, which embraces you subtly, then gently whispers to your ear. These voices are embodied in the warmer and rounder clean lines of Celine, in the combination of the mesmerizing set and perfection of the clothes Raf Simons creates for Dior, or in the colorful “over layered” chaos of Vivienne Westwood, up until the theatrical and monastic vibes Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens, and his pupil Gareth Pugh have shown.
Minimal is a long time trend in more recent years, especially in these so called crisis days. More than ever, this season, there is no space for too frivolous or baroque volumes and details, at all. Damir Doma takes all off, leaving just the simple shape and just few important enlightened details; somehow similar to what Alexander Wang has done, his own way, in a B/W palette for his first collection at Balenciaga (very Cristobal indeed), keeping the traditional curved volumes of the house. The absolute certainty “less is more” has reached everyone, gets when an enfant terrible like Jean Paul Gaultier goes rather simple and serious with his dummy-like corsets and long chiffon skirts, or John Galliano’s former label flirts with discipline and a clean lines and volumes.
Chaos, a clash of moods and styles, is the key for the historical/ethnic pastiche of Madame Westwood, but also for the grunge meets 70s bohemian collection of Saint Laurent or the fil rouge at Junya Watanabe, where biker perfecto meets punkish tartan and tweed to become patchwork dresses. On the other side, at Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci is able to create a well balanced “Victorian meets gipsy meets flamenco meets punk and… Bambi prints”.
The trend of trends, this season, is being feminine on masculine wardrobe. If you have a quick look through, you’ll bump into several classic pinstripe fabrics, and you’ll see trousers winning over skirts 10-1. One collection says it all: Stella McCartney, after getting us used to a very feminine line, following the body curves, now, showing on the catwalk a strong pinstripe/tartan collection, deeply inspired by a savile row touch on classic men pieces with a sort of Japanese exaggerated sheltering volumes approach to them.
Last but not least: black is still up. We know it’s A/W, but for what we see on the catwalks, there is not much chance for bright plain colors: if designers are not going for dark tones, then it will be white or classics like tartan, brocade or floral prints and interesting surreal/playful patterns like the stylized eyes we have seen at Undercover, Givenchy and Kenzo. On the catwalks just few pale or acid pastels survives this “army” of B/W.
In the end, what counts more than trends, is that Paris sees a more-than-ever strong, subtly dressed, and self-confident woman coming for winter, even if she likes sneaking stuff by her man’s wardrobe.
