All the stars aligned for Sophie Albou s 15th anniversary show at Paris legendary Olympia Theatre, where everyone from Edith Piaf to KISS has played. Albou had secured nineties acid-jazz band Jamiroquai to surprise the Champagne-sipping crowd during the models final walk, but when it came to the clothes, her mind was on the seventies chic of Romy Schneider.
Albou s spin on the familiar reference was unsurprisingly both energetic—brimming with cute signature floral prints and all sorts of texture—and very colorful. But to her credit, there was also an all-ages elegance in pieces like a ruby-red coat with a purple fur collar or a slim paisley midi dress. A lovely pleated silk floral skirt was based on one the designer had admired on her own mother in the seventies. "Very Catherine Deneuve," said Albou: It was Yves Saint Laurent.
The casual observer of this contemporary brand might be surprised to know that it makes use of designer-caliber fabrics like an Italian crepe de chine that s hand-painted and embroidered at a specialized factory in Lyons. Credit Albou for still keeping the price right. In this show, that kind of grown-up quality was easy to miss with the sometimes clunky styling and those funky Timberland-esque high-heel boots. But in a city with some of the oldest fashion houses in the world, when you re only 15, it makes sense to still be having some fun.
