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Paris Womens AW10/11 our favourite collections

Theatrics kept the Parisian runway proceedings lively. Viktor and Rolf relived their runway dress-up of Maggie Ritzer a decade ago, this time a piled-high Kristen McMenamy played the clothes hanger as the duo dressed and undressed her. With his show sets as much of a feature as his clothes, Karl Largerfeld imported real chunks of iceberg from Scandinavia as backdrop to his beautiful Neanderthal beasts. There was some unfamiliar model behaviour at large with everyone taken aback by the smiling models at Sonia Rykiel and the impressive buxom beauties on the Louis Vuitton runways sporting not-so-sample-size.

But now back to the clothes. The gift and curse of Paris is the choice, there’s barely a dodgy boiler here but again, we’ve picked out some of the collections that outshined the rest or spearheaded the key Paris trends…

BALENCIAGA
You get a real sense that Nicolas Ghesquiere is a designer that really embraces and enjoys the process and discoveries of fashion design. Inspired by the products of the 21st century - disparate, domestic references like packaging and quilts were translated into some extraordinary fabric manipulations and shapes. Inventive materials included, fur shaved into a quilted pattern, dimpled cashmere, micro padding, appliquéd shards, machine-perforated lace fabrics and newsprinted woven plastic. Odd colour combinations carried through from last season, this time tempered back with pristine white and pale grey. Ghesquiere gets points for being amongst the more commercially conceptual.

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
It was a toss between John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier but we selected JPG as the designer who managed to most successfully and expertly combine a World Culture x Western mix. From Masai neck rings and African Head Wraps to Mexican Blankets and oriental silks; diverse elements were teamed with everyday tailoring and sportswear. It was a true lesson in getting inventive with style taking wardrobe basics and freshening the look with ethnic elements.

LOUIS VUITTON
Trendsetting Marc and Miuccia have both heralded a return to womanhood with a full bust, hips and elegant nipped in waist. It’s that classic late fifties, very early sixties era that feels a little Mad Men a little screen icon (think a young Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly). Jacobs invited the likes of Elle Macpherson, Laetitia Casta and Bar Refaeli back on to the catwalks – models commonly eschewed from the catwalks for not conforming to the super-lithe archetype. It was elegantly charming in pretty prints and given a girlish twist with swinging ponytails. That calf-length, full skirt isn’t the easy shape for all to wear but at least the womanly shaped amongst us can feel there is something more embracing than enslaving.

LANVIN
Alber Elbaz presented a take on both the minimal and tribal trends, executed in a very ‘Lanvin’ way. Well known for his beautiful command of cut and manipulation, he provided a supremely elegant twist on the dropped and rounded shoulder, which looked sculptural but not intimidating. His ability to mould fabric like paper, with an almost ‘pinched to fit’ quality complete with a crumpled finished makes for his own brand of dishevelled elegance. African elements were extracted and applied with tonal feather fringing on the shoulder of a pleated mini wrap dress, exquisite (trademark) ostrich feathers, tribal studded belt trim and subtle necklace embellishments. Soft black, bitter brown, navy, muted mulberry and African red earth provided the palette alongside some showy metallic lames.

DRIES VAN NOTEN
Dries Van Noten, is fast joining the list of designers with his finger on the pulse of exactly what women want. His collection perfectly encapsulated the ‘confidently styled trend’, demonstrating how to apply a touch of ingenuity to enliven the styling of the pieces in a wardrobe. Formal elements are confidently paired with casual separates and timeless accessories like plain court shoes and a printed scarves. Relaxed men’s tailoring teamed with luxury sportswear, washed out military pieces and a bit of grunge thrown in. The silhouette was largely undefined other than that it was ‘smartly laid back’. Marls, muddy florals, leopard, lame, folkish elements and giant plaid were all thrown here and there whilst still managing to look like a cohesive collection!

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Finally, a collective deep breath surrounded the fashion industry in the lead up to Alexander McQueen’s posthumous show. The theatrics were stripped back in an intimate salon setting, whilst the demi-couture did the talking. Religious iconography, Old Master paintings, Byzantine Art, Heironymous Bosch prints, Baroque Cathedrals - these highly decorative sources provided sumptuous inspiration for flawlessly embellished ornate surfaces, paintings printed onto full lengths of silk and a spectacular closing look of gilded feathers over a tulle underskirt. Right hand woman Sarah Burton explained, ‘he wanted to get back to the handcraft he loved and the things that are being lost in the making of fashion. He was looking at the art of the Dark Ages, but finding light and beauty in it’. McQueen’s seasonal collections have always followed his own inspired agenda, often transcending any mass trend. In many ways his grand finale encapsulated his signature pre-occupations; beautiful craftsmanship, grand layered references and high art execution.