PFW DAY IIIIIIII/RECAP

The eighth day of Paris Fashion week kicked off with Karl Lagerfeld’s vibrant Chanel show, and continued with shows by Valentino, Alexander McQueen, and Paul & Jones. Here are some of the highlights.

The extravagant spring show that Karl Lagerfeld put on for Chanel was all about the arts. The Grand Palais, where the show was held, had been turned into something of an art exhibition, filled with kitschy Chanel artworks. Models were sent down the runway dressed in colour swatch prints, and carrying paint brushes and portfolios. Even the soundtrack made a tongue-in-cheek comment to the arts, including Jay Z’s newly released Picasso Baby. Along with the colour swatch prints, the collection featured iconic Chanel pieces such as the tweed suit, the little black dress, and the 2.55 bag, reworked with new exciting cuts, bright colours, and bold patterns. Matching white knee socks, blown up pearl necklaces, and playfully embellished backpacks further enhanced the collection’s youthful edge, with the boldly applied make up as the finishing touch.

With inspiration from the Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s film version of the classic opera Medea, with Maria Callas as the name part, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli showed a soberly dramatic and extravagant spring collection for Valentino. Rendered with the two designers’ usual sense for sleek silhouettes and sharp tailoring, the collection showed a mishmash of exquisite embroideries, fringed suede, and silvery patchworks.

A Summer in Paris was the name of Sophie Albou-Mechaly’s spring collection for Paul & Jones. Light and airy, the collection was all about casual cuts, fluid materials, and unconstructed silhouettes. The palette was a soothing mix of white, light blue, dusty pink, and leafy green, sparkled up by splashes of glittery gold. With wide silk trousers, striped shirts, Liberty printed blouses, and long sweeping skirts, the collection was just as casually timeless as the name suggests.

With golden helmets and metal harnesses, feather capes and skirts, tribal patterns, and exquisite beadwork, Sarah Burton’s spring collection for Alexander McQueen gave the impression of a modern Amazon warrior. Ruffled dresses, puffy, multicoloured skirts, and elaborately beaded tops were matched with strapped leather bras, metal harnesses, choker necklaces, and shiny metal helmets. Eclectic and conceptual, the show pointed out an exciting new direction for the late Alexander McQueen’s fashion house.

Photos courtesy of Style.com

By Sonja Nettelbladt