Some Carven devotees may not even realize that Guillaume Henry has moved on from the house; they buy for the label, not the designer. And in this way, Carven simply needed to maintain a baseline of desirability this season. Yet, if this was Henry s vision in the hands of the studio, as the brand claims, the clothes for Fall exceeded expectations. At Nina Ricci, Henry will no longer be designing men s collections, so to some extent the pleated and/or cropped pants that he often wears felt like a personal send-off. Meanwhile, sculpted coats, boxy yet tapered, will be held up in magazine editorials as evidence that the 80s are once again having a moment in menswear. Those who prefer a less pronounced silhouette will likely favor the bouclé wool bomber jackets and classic black caban, both with sloped shoulders as a subtle update.
The various looks in nickel gray were easy on the eyes, with one so seamless as to appear like a jumpsuit. Two shirting developments, a technical poplin turtleneck and a collarless wool chalk-stripe blouse, were daring enough to confirm that the studio was not just coasting on autopilot. Furthermore, a bunch of new accessories—notably, a sailor-inspired bag, a handheld clutch, and a leather-trimmed platform oxford—shifted the focus toward a category that has perennial growth potential.
Will the incoming designer continue the ever-popular sweatshirts that have proved a successful entry point? The latest versions here were emblazoned with the same wry, retro cassette-tape and television imagery that was first seen in the women s Pre-Fall offering. Slogan tees reading "Parlez après le bip" ("Speak after the beep") and "Laissez un message" ("Leave a message") continued the notion of obsolescence. The message here: Relevance is relative.
