Sunday was the last day of prêt-à-porter, and after an exciting and fashion-filled past few days I was happy to have saved one of the best for last. Lanvin has always been one of my personal favorite fashion houses, and I was anxious to see what divine designs Alber Elbaz would have in store for the Fall/Winter. A self-proclaimed poster child of Lanvin, I sincerely feel as if Alber could do no wrong when it comes to fashion design. Truly understanding and appreciating women, his collection is created to bring out the beauty of females regardless of body size or age.
With blinding lights the show began, introducing not just models but women walking down the runway, as Alber has always been more focused on the women wearing his fashion and not his fashion wearing women. Setting color aside for this season, Alber chose a darker palette of black, midnight blue, and grey, focusing far more on technique and rich fabrics to bring his couture to life. Pleating was playfully used in fabrics and furs, while ribbon was featured both for its feminine allure as well as its symbolism. Keeping in mind women from all walks of life, ribbon was extensively used to represent Alber’s wish to tie together different times and different people.
Silhouettes were slim and sleek, featuring skirts that tightly hugged the body and elegantly sleeved tops. Very modern in design, the collection emphasized evening pieces that empowered women and provided opulent options for dressing up. Adding variety to the little black dress through exquisite tailoring, Alber gave dimension and shape to the dark hues through pleating and lines of fabric in both horizontal and vertical patterns.
Elegant coats were trimmed with fur and flattering to the female figure with a focus on the waist. Shoulders were lavishly draped with fox furs and featured bouncing tails that added opulence to an already elegant ensemble. Jackets both long and short featured pelts in a similar fashion as many other designers, and furs ranged from simple detailing to consuming the style with strips to add texture.
The suits were made for chic women who wore clothing with confidence. Although the couture itself was not sexy, the fitted jackets paired with slim tapered pants or skirts flowing with movement accentuated curves in all the right places, making the fashion wearable by women of all sizes.
A collection that truly displayed Alber’s heartfelt appreciation for women, it was, as he explained backstage after the show, a tribute to the real women who love and live in Lanvin.
Backstage with Alber Elbaz
After Lanvin, I made my way to a convent on the Left Bank of Paris for Ralph Rucci’s Chado Fall/Winter collection, which was my final prêt-à-porter show. A location that fit perfectly with Rucci’s indifference to the outside world regarding fashion trends, the collection was centered around a creative rebirth and discovered the relationship between energy and matter. Channeling waves of vibration and motion into material form, Rucci created fashion that, although entirely prêt-à-porter, exhibited the opulent fabrics and exquisite tailoring Haute Couture clients have come to expect from this modern designer.
Featured in the collection were Rucci’s signature wool jersey dresses, which were detailed with pin-tucks and leather piping that reflected the designer’s wave inspiration. The theme of “vibration” also carried through to couture constructed of cashmere and tulle, and while the contrast between wool pin-tucks and fine fabrics gave the illusion of waving movement, the structure of the garment itself was secured through Rucci’s unwavering workmanship.
Feathers found their way into Rucci’s fashion, which was unique in comparison to the other collections I had seen throughout the week that focused far more on furs. Contrasted beautifully with braided leathers or laid flat to give satin a sleek finish, the feathers floated with the fabric and conveyed a fragility that was very feminine.
As seen in many of the other shows this season, Rucci also exhibited fur coats, but his styles stood out for their exceptional construction and unconventional combination of fine fabrics with a variety of prepossessing pelts. With versatility in style, mixing of textures, and multiple exotic pelts to choose from, each piece offered a look of opulence and exclusivity perfect for fashion lovers interested in buying personalized pieces.
A few of my favorite looks were Rucci’s sumptuous double faced skirted suits constructed of soft cashmere, which was featured as part of the collections define day wear. Perfectly proportioned to flatter the female figure, it was as if their elegance was made specifically with the chic woman over 40 in mind.
Fashion that truly displayed extensive thought and unyielding attention to detail, Rucci revealed looks that were stunning from shoe to stole, with every aspect of the outfit looking wearable and refined.
Backstage with Ralph Rucci following his gorgeous show
With the excitement of prêt-à-porter winding down it is with pleasure that I have a couple days left in Paris to relax and explore the city to see what has changed since my last trip here. Always keeping my eyes open for fabulous new restaurants or exclusive back street boutique, it never ceases to surprise me how much style and fashion can be found off the runway by simply strolling the streets of Paris.
April 21, 2008 at 9:20 am
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