Drama was the name of the game at day five of Paris Fashion Week. At Nina Ricci, Guillaume Henry dialed colors up to 11, while Rei Kawakubo did the same for silhouettes at Comme des Garçons. In between those shows was sultry drama at Mugler, rigorous tailoring at Haider Ackermann, and pure fun at Andreas Kronthaler s first runway show for Vivienne Westwood. Here, we outline those and more of the day’s top headlines.
Junya Watanabe Mixes Smarts With Street Style
Junya Watanabe’s clothes project a heady image, and it’s no secret the Japanese designer has a way with high-minded ideas, but this season, it seems, Watanabe was out to be a people pleaser. Inspired by time spent in Berlin, the designer sent out printed tees, jeans, trenches, and filmy dresses—that
s the wearable bit—often topped off with geometric black capes.
Tailoring Is King at Haider Ackermann
With Tilda Swindon and Kristin Scott Thomas in the audience, Haider Ackermann presented a collection of sharply tailored suiting that was, pardon the pun, well suited to the sylphlike models that walked the runway. For the rest of us, there were Miyake-style pleats and slogan tees.
Knit Wits at Acne Studios
Sure, the season might technically be Spring, but in a world of crazy climates, Jonny Johansson’s knit-heavy Acne Studios collection almost registers as practical. There were Fair Isle dresses, patchwork numbers, and one oversize cobalt thing that could rival a Snuggie in terms of comfort.
Something Sexy This Way Comes
Whether it was Gigi Hadid strutting out at Elie Saab or the parade of babes at Mugler, the eveningwear message today in Paris was clear: Sex sells. Saab showed off the female form in low-cut dresses and sweeping skirts; Mugler’s David Koma did it with puzzle-like minidresses in futuristic silver and black.
Comme des Garçons Thinks Big
Rei Kawakubo’s love of oversize clothing continues. For Spring, she proposed 17 voluminous looksmostly in black save for a look in red tartan and another in crimson velvet. Models like Anna Cleveland and Lily McMenamy strode in flat shoes, faces sometimes obscured.
A New Day at Viviennne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood’s longtime partner Andreas Kronthaler made his debut as designer, and his show was almost as expectation-defying as one of Dame Viv’s.
An Impressive Showing From an LVMH Winner
After winning LVMH
s special prize this summer, the young Canadian Vejas Kruszewski brought his show to Paris. Details like snap fastenings, utilitarian touches, and a muted palette delighted Hari Nef, who was one of the boldfacers at the presentation.
Nina Ricci Goes for Bold
Guillaume Henry has painted the Nina Ricci woman as an independent, sexy femme since taking the helm of the brand several seasons ago. For Spring, the overt sex appeal subsided in favor of graphic stripes and eye-popping colors.
Get Up Close and Personal With Fashion’s Finest
The flash is on the runway, but the intimacy is backstage, where our photographers Kevin Tachman and Driely S have been capturing models—and designers!—off-duty. See their best pics here.
The Americans Arrive in Paris
The CFDA Americans in Paris showroom opened yesterday with a party that put other PFW parties to shame. Gigi Hadid posed in a sultry Adam Selman number, Ryan Roche arrived with a crew of beige-clad models, and Chromat’s Becca McCharen-Tran had fun with her fellow rose-haired friend Fernanda Ly.