Paris Fashion Week SS16: Strength of Women
Paris Fashion Week SS16 Ready to Wear Womenswear has come to a close, with this season continuing to push boundaries of fashion and the true use of the runway. Designers looked towards the innovation of fashion in their collections, with top designers blurring the lines between fashion and performance, tradition and technology, femininity and masculinity.
Collections saw elegant femininity meeting flamboyance, androgyny and a blend of colours, cultures and concepts from the likes of innovators including Rick Owens, Hussein Chalayan and Iris van Herpen. We present the highlights of the week.
Maison Margiela
This was John Galliano’s fourth show for Maison Margiela, which saw an eclectic mix of 1950s daywear and Japanese inspired kimono designs, each with attention to detail once again replenishing the Margiela name with fashion prowess. The collection featured classic 1950s pieces and the sloped shoulder, which was a dominant feature. While the looks were feminine, the brand’s love for reconstruction was evident. Unusual textures and materials, broken mirror applique, translucent film, metallic threads and ornaments featured heavily on pieces. The collection had a strong Japanese influence that saw kimono designs, single and duo pieces, with cords tied around waist and bust.
Dries Van Noten
The flamboyant woman was the focus for Dries Van Noten, seeing a retroesque and decorative aesthetic throughout this season’s collection. Bold clashing floral prints, purple on bronze, orange, pink on navy, created a vivacious cacophony of colour. A mix and match of exaggerated tutu skirts, maxi jacquard dresses, slinky blazers, angular frills on tops and skirts and high waisted shorts featured on the runway, as well as roomy silky pants and culottes. Tulle, silk and iridescent fabrics combined with geometric prints ruled the runway. A live performance by string quarter Balanescu added to the vibrancy of Van Noten apparent homage to the flamboyant.
Rick Owens
Rick Owens delivered a memorable concept, blurring the lines between fashion and performance. His collection was distinctly Owens, with minimalist dresses paired with black combat boots, long sheer coats with short-cut gladiator sandals and a colour palette of tan, black and orange. But the centerpiece of the Owens show was his powerful provocation which saw the unveiling of human fashion accessories, models strapped to others, some facing outward, some inward, some in a tight contortion. While some critics saw this as being deliberately brazen, Owens has described his concept in great detail as one expressing the strength of women and the support that one woman should lend to another. “I was just trying to minimise what might be seen as my pomposity in thinking I know anything about women. Compassion and affection is exactly what I was hoping to express,” he said in a recent Dazed Digital interview.
Hussein Chalayan
Fusing fashion and technology is what British designer Hussein Chalayan designer has been known for on the runway. He presented a collection that saw great innovation and experimentation in fashion. His collection saw a diverse combination of silky dresses and skirts with cascading fabric, elegant khaki and bronze jumpsuits, off the shoulder dresses adorned with an original comic-inspired pattern of a character “Plonk,” a small dancing motif which he had initially introduced in his resort collection. At the end of the presentation two models in specially created white tissue coats stood under a panel with small holes. Essentially a shower, when water flowed from above, the coats began to melt away, to reveal two white dresses with applique detail, adorned with clear jewels. This is not the first time Chalayan, who debuted his inaugural collection for French house Vionnet earlier this week, has stunned crowds with groundbreaking feats of innovation.
Stay tuned for an insight into Chalyan’s new performance art, which will be showcased across fluoro.
Haider Ackerman
A rare occurrence saw Ackermann lightened things up with a collection that was a step away from his usual dark dramatic pieces. This collection was a candy coloured, pastel cacophony. It saw a detailed punkish take on staples including ruffle details, cutout chiffon blouses, fluttering silk tulles with embroidery and lace, as well as fluorescent trousers, with his usual drop-crotch, accompanied by thick belts, and cropped leather jackets. It was a balancing act between delicacy and in your face punk attitude. The zebra pattern pointed toe was prominent, along with velvet slippers. His colour palette was diverse seeing a range of black to bright pinks and yellows with green accents. Lilac coloured strands of hair wrapped around models’ faces creating a cotton candy look.
Comme des Garçons
The runway was Rei Kawakubo’s oyster with the conventions of the catwalk again broken with this collection from Comme des Garçons. Blue Witches was the theme for this year’s collection with Creative Director, and creative fashion innovatrice Rei Kawakubo showcasing an elaborate collection of extraordinary and almost unreal designs. Large bulbous layers of silk, velvet, and fur composed the thick theatrical garments of ebony, ivory and sapphire. It was an eruption of ostrich and pheasant feathers cocooned around models’ heads, and dangling from the hems. Showcasing only 16 looks with robust red wigs worn by models; Kawakubo’s designs were an evocation of the powerful women and the guardians of the unnatural state, shown through her grandiose embellishments, exaggerated sizes, and intriguing experimentation with shape and form.
Akris
Akris designer, Albert Kriemler was inspired by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto that saw his collection as a nod to Fujimoto’s distinctive architectural designs including the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London and numerous nomadic formed installations around the globe. Kriemler’s designs were dainty, a collection on light and delicate fabrics. Grid patterns, punctures and cutouts, and a pairing of transparency and solid robustly expressed Fujimoto’s influence. The colour palette focused on white, blue and black, a standout piece featuring a tree print, a nod to Fujimoto’s House N, a home with live trees indoors.
Saint Laurent
Saint Laurent displayed juxtaposition this year. Creative Director Hedi Slimane paired tiaras and fine fabrics with patchwork denim, leather and leopard print, a nod to a 90s grunge aesthetic dominating the collection. Hedi Slimane showcased pure confidence and assurance in this collection, with the use of strong materials. Transparent lace and visible undergarments, embellished slips paired with Wellingtons made an appearance as well as biker and army jackets. Feather jackets coupled with short shimmering dresses, or elegant cascading numbers with clashing orange-strapped heels, and statement fur leopard, tiger and pure white coats powered down the runway.
Iris van Herpen
Dutch designer Iris van Herpen presented her inspired creations this year, displaying her masterful artistry. On a circular center stage laid Game of Thrones actor Gwendoline Christie wearing a cream dress, covered in netting, surrounded by black bird-like sculptures. Herpen’s runway saw classic lace that she had woven on old machines along with its own futuristic interpretations seeing fabrics punched and lasered. The effect was mesmerising on lattice-like silver lace dresses and skirts that shimmered. Extreme footwear was developed in collaboration with Finsk, strengthening her individualistic approach. Van Herpen was one of the first designers that made use of the 3D printer however she chose to leave out this technique this time round and instead turned to other methods and techniques. Although a new breed of designer at Paris, she is quickly showing that individuality is the standout.
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For a retrospective journey from New York to Milan during this Womenswear season, visit our archives.
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