Charles de Vilmorin has a lot to prove. “I was not in a very good mood this past year,” the young designer said backstage after his first ever runway show for his eponymous label, subtly addressing his departure from Rochas earlier this year after a short stint. “I wanted to create something dark and sharp.”
De Vilmorin showcased a couture collection grounded in black and white, with pieces featuring his signature artwork—which remain some of his most compelling propositions—punctuating the lineup throughout. “This show is the story of the pressure of creation,” he said. “It starts with a very simple white dress, like a white paper when you start to create,” he continued, explaining his opening look, a softly draped dress in sheer white fabric. The designer said this collection addressed the questions he asks himself when he creates, including whether to show something sharp and black or something “crazy with more color.”
Here, De Vilmorin did both, and mixed compelling draping propositions in black and white with colorful ensembles in prints and saturated silks. This is a young designer who finds himself on a bigger stage than he is prepared for, but this outing showed promise, should he refine and focus his technique moving forward. Let the fact that Inès de La Fressange walked out halfway through the show in a black ensemble to thunderous applause be a harbinger for what’s next for De Vilmorin as he grows as a designer.
