Last week was Paris Fashion Week, and it featured some of the biggest names in fashion ever: Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, Chanel — names the whole world knows.
Here's a recap of some of the many ready-to-wear collections:
Creative directors Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel both drew inspiration from the enigmatic sea, creating looks that captured the ethereal aquatics in nature.
Many worried about the McQueen brand losing the artistic and deep point-of-view that the late Lee McQueen himself had, but this collection proves how in touch both creator and assistant were. Burton's detailed designs, color palette and trademark lace face masks all appear in the collection, which is what McQueen would have imagined. The models looked powerful and delicate-paradoxes were a part of his aesthetic — like goddesses from the mythical Atlantis.
While Burton's underwater world theme is more literal in both silhouettes and accessories, Lagerfeld's lines are modern while the embellishments are literal-creating a modern mermaid on Earth.
Sticking to the Lagerfeldian crisp cuts, the collection has pastel colors and long, slimming silhouettes, tweeds and ruffles. Some looks have sequins and embellishments imitating a sea animal's scales and are topped off with pearl belts. Lagerfeld's looks look like they came out of Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus."
This collection has over 80 outfits! I wish I had a finger of Lagerfeld's creativity. He is the creative director of three major brands: Chanel, Fendi and his eponymous brand, not to mention crushing retail with his Macy's line. It's a wonder how he has the time and creativity to expand, especially in this grand collection.
Another powerhouse designer, Marc Jacobs, debuted his very feminine, yet strong collection that showcases his dedication to the craft.
The collection has a sweet, almost Alice in Wonderland-like quality with its over-sized buttons, large collars, wide skirts and flowery motif embellishments. The colors are also pastels, but they aren't subtle. The detailing on the empire-waist evening dresses is intricate-lace daisies, with sheer layers over them. Keeping to Jacob's theory of a Vuitton woman's desire to stand out, this collection does just that.
I think that if anyone is remotely interested in fashion, these are the designers to watch. They're not only the most influential designers who have been around for a while, but many commercial designs that we see in everyday mall retailers draw inspiration from these runway designs. Stella McCartney's fall 2011 RTW collection had a polka dots theme on sheer fabric, and the concept is now seen in one of Mango's tops.
Don't be surprised to see aquatic looks and girly pastels with large-buttoned separates coming to your local retailer soon. With that in mind, there were a plethora of collections that were showcased — not only in Paris, but in the past fashion weeks — that were in New York, London and Milan as well. In other words, thousands of looks could possibly have their commercialized form made for the everyday consumer.
I really hope commercialism takes a look at Haider Ackermann's boxy and colorful mismatched suit looks because I think the drab world of suits could do with a splash of color.
Regarding my earlier Vuitton-woman reference, here's a video of Marc Jacobs explaining what is one of the most wanted, in fact, coveted lifestyles: the Louis Vuitton woman.
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Catwalk queen Kate Moss dominates the floor with a boxy dress shrouded with feathers at Paris Fashion Week 2011.
