Haider Ackermann was due for a comeback. In recent seasons, his languid draping and extravagant layers had started to feel tired. Oh, he had his true believers, but otherwise you could sense the audience s interest flagging. If it didn t quite snap back to attention this morning in the airless Couvent des Cordeliers, blame the lack of air-conditioning. Still, there was something happening with the clothes; the collection clicked. Ackermann s work has always been heavy on the atmospherics; this season, the poetry of the past remained, but less of the pretensions. His choice of materials mattered. A few of his signature shrunken jackets—arms pushed up past the elbows, hem cut high in the back, with ruffles and ruching in the front—were made from sweatshirt material. The fatigue-green version looked like it had gone through the wash; it was a standout. On other looks, he used fine-gauge knits. There was nothing so plain as a simple pullover sweater. Languid mousseline sleeves extended from the cuffs of one slouchy jumper, and a boatneck dipped into a suggestive, deep V in back. But even when he tied a silk coat around the waist of that outfit s tuxedo-stripe pants to create a long train, the relaxed attitude remained.
If there was less pretension, there was also more precision. An off-the-shoulder jacket had a distinctive sharpness. Same goes for the lavender le smoking. Walk into a party wearing it, and every cocktail dress in the room will seem hopelessly out-of-date.
His subtle color sense deserves mention here, as well. The chartreuse chiffon of a halter-neck top and lilac satin pants almost vibrated. And who knew there were so many ethereal variations on dusty rose and oyster gray? Ackermann s look is so specific, he ll always run the risk of repeating himself. This wasn t a reinvention, per se. But the designer does look reinvigorated.
