Yohji Yamamoto
Yohji focused on outerwear this season, placing a large emphasis on coats. With the base color being black for this well-curated collection (no surprise) Yohji was able to weave in strokes of red where ever he deemed fit. Yohji fiddled with proportions incorporating sleeveless peacoats with long skirts and played on the notion of illusion by including a long jumpsuit, which at first glance looks like a coat. He tied in all of his signature elements being length, sharp lines and layering. As usual, they all worked cohesively. Though sometimes we know what to expect from a Yohji Yamamoto collection, it will never be ponderous.
Issey Miyake
Dai Fujiwara created a commodious collection that easily lent itself to movement. All of the fabrics used, and the silhouettes that came from them, were non-restrictive. Fujiwara paid attention to detail with the inclusion of piping and baroque patterns in many of the garments. However, despite some the beautifully ornate pieces, there were a lot of components in one collection. The color palette ranged from reds, greens, blues, just to name a few. The collection was not well-edited in terms of colorway. The overall collection, however was daring and reflected a certain comfortability.
Maison Martin Margiela
Monsieur Margiela juxtaposed drama and exhibitionism in his fall 09 collection. Many of the looks involved very form-fitting body suits, coupled with some sort of piece to divert the eyes from focusing too much on the faux nudity. Such pieces included asymmetrical, sharp-shouldered tops (for lack of a better word), and tulle, polka-dotted veils. The body suits re-emerged from past MMM seasons. They evoke a certain vulnerability, in the same way being naked does. Yet, it at the same time, it reflects a bold exhibitionist devoir. Whatever the thoughts are behind the body-suits, they are an interesting way to kick fashion in the ass, by showing that fashion doesn’t necessarily have to include “real clothes”.
Lanvin
Alber Elbaz always knows what a woman wants, probably even better than a woman herself. This season he delivered a stellar collection, that played off an old parisian glamour, coalescing luxe, rich fabrics with soft, feminine silhouettes. The collection incorporated cinched waists and dresses hovering right above the knee, celebrating the modern woman, while paying tribute to the sophisticated women of the past. The accessories were appropriate and were in accord with the garments. The sinuous shapes and the draped effect added fluidity and a certain elegance. Elbaz has an innate talent and a great sense of a woman and this was fully represented in his collection.
