It factor. It s hard to define, but you know it when you see it, and it was on full display at Hakaan Yildirim s first Paris show tonight. Sitting front and center was Mert Alas, who now serves as Hakaan s creative director in addition to being, along with partner Marcus Piggott, one half of the world s most influential fashion photographer duo. Next to Alas were Eva Herzigova and Naomi Campbell. And on the runway: Daria, Natalia, Mariacarla, and the tippy-top of the current catwalk crew.
Yildirim made a big impression at his first show in London last season, so much so that he won this year s competitive €220,000 ANDAM prize. As a result, observers were wondering if the clothes would live up to all the advance billing.
The silhouette is still ultra-fitted, but more minimal than Fall s. Peplums and frills of silk-covered cord made comebacks, only this time there were a whole lot more cutouts, not only on minidresses, but also on second-skin catsuits. This collection will once again earn Yildirim comparisons to Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy. What felt new were the longer lengths—a well-cut black blazer over a narrow skirt with a trailing hem, or that same skirt again, but with a very hot (in all senses of the word), midriff-exposing, long-sleeve leather crop top.
The verdict: Hakaan s niche is quite narrow; he s designing for girls with waistlines as tiny as their bank accounts are big, but he s doing a bang-up job of it.
