Lanvin
Alber Elbaz pumped out one stunning look after another for spring. Last season encompassed parisian chic. This season he is picking up where he left off. The collection was luxurious. It reflected a high-society, aristocratic glamour. Elbaz incorporated draping, which he also did last season, and soft ruffles reaching the highest rank of feminity. He also accentuated the waist by cinching it with a simple sash/belt. Elbaz is very aware of a woman’s body, and always makes sure that every piece is flattering.
Maison Martin Margiela
Like Christophe Decarnin, Margiela is not letting go of those shoulders! That’s one of the many issues with Margiela’s collection this season. It was not cohesive at all, and quite disheveled. It was almost as if MMM ran out of ideas and threw together a collection; nothing really made sense. The print with the post-card images of the beach palm trees (looks 10 &11)…really? Spring 2010 was too out there, and frankly went over people’s heads.
Issey Miyake
Dai Fuijiwara’s collection started off a bit simple with muted colors such as pale blues, and soft greys. We were under the impression that maybe things have toned out a bit for Issey Miyake. Lo and behold, Fujiwara was just warming up because about 10 looks in, there was an explosion of every color and print under the sun. Fujiwara uses color and print to its fullest potential. He incorporated tye-dye, grandience, stripes, zig-zags—it was literally a vortex of color and print. What was interesting was that many of the prints that he used were representative of different cultures, so there was some sort of commentary in his collection. The shapes, as per usual, lent themselves to movement and ease. Many of the sihouettes were quite beautiful. Though his collection seemed a little out of control, it was very much calculated and thought out. This is what he does. It is always seemingly random, but there is a reason for it; it’s organized chaos.
Yohji Yamamoto
Yohji is really a master of technique, and that goes without saying. He can command attention for lines and silhouette in a way no one can. His collection for spring is a testement for that. Instead of big voluminous garments, he focused on leaner silhouettes and long lines, something he’s been doing lately. Most of his pieces were fitted, and structured as opposed to a sea of black fabric. He brought a bit of edge by showing leather motorcycle jackets. He did, however, throw in a curveball when he showed short skirts; looks like he’s broadening his horizons a bit. Texture was also key this season with his laser-cut, super-long, light-weight shirtdresses, which looked phenomenal when paired with a long white dress. Honestly, The man can do no wrong.
