Top Shows at Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2020, Part 1

[eureka]

Clocking in at nine days, Paris Fashion Week is the longest of the "Big Four" fashion capitals'. In those nine days, some of the largest fashion houses present their collections for the coming season. So many houses, in fact, that they wouldn't all fit in one post! Read on for coverage of some of the biggest shows from the first five days.

CELINE

After a divisive debut and much-lauded sophomore collection, Hedi Slimane has found a comfortable place as creative director at Celine. This collection was more in-line with his second, developing a clear aesthetic for the new, accent-à-droite-less French staple. Slimane’s vision for the brand harkens back to the time of the brand’s founding in the mid-twentieth century. The vests, prairie dresses, and denim skirts were decidedly retro. Bootcut jeans were high-waisted and paired with chic, knee-high leather boots. Several looks also had a Slimane’s distinct rock’n’roll touch, though the paisley prints and gold embellishments gave them a Stevie Nicks-esque, decade-appropriate vibe. The new Celine customer would be just at home walking the streets of Paris in the 1960’s and 70’s as they would today.

CHRISTIAN DIOR

As creative director of Christian Dior, Maria Grazia Chiurri is tasked with reducing the environmental impact of one of the world’s largest high fashion houses. The season, the runway set was constructed entirely from recycled materials and 164 trees that will be replanted around Paris after the show. Catherine Dior, younger sister of the house’s founder and an avid botanist, was a major source of inspiration for this collection. Filled with sturdy work boots, collared shirts, and comfortable shorts in varying lengths, these clothes would be right at home in a garden. Raffia appeared everywhere from hats and belts, or woven into flowers on dresses, to entire dresses themselves. The final evening wear section was rendered in diaphanous silks with floral prints created using ink transfer and actual flowers.

DRIES VAN NOTEN

One decade ago, Christian Lacroix closed the doors on his haute couture atelier, quietly slipped into the world of costume design, and moved away from the fashion industry. This year, Dries Van Noten collaborated with the much-loved couturier to create a ready-to-wear collection. Van Noten’s artsy designs combined wonderfully with Lacroix’s OTT sensibilities. Clothes were loose-fitting and voluminous with plenty of ruffles. Silk brocade was a common sight in this collection, alongside all kinds of appliqués and feathers. In an era where design collaborations are a dime a dozen, it takes something special for one to stand out. This collection did just that.

ISSEY MIYAKE

Spring/Summer 2020 marks Satoshi Kondo’s first as new creative director at Issey Miyake. And what a strong debut! Most of the models were actually trained dancers, who leapt and twirled across the venue, showing off the excellent movement of the clothes. Those who didn’t dance zoomed in between the rest on skateboards. In one of the buzziest moment of Paris Fashion Week, several drones dropped down from the ceiling to clothe the models below. After donning their hats, the models bounced along to the music. Seeing as they were made with classic Issey Miyake pleats, the dresses bounced with them. For the finale, the flood of models all joined hands and danced in a circle. It was a vibrant show filled with all the Issey Miyake signatures; color, volume, and comfort. This may have been one of the most fun shows this season!

LANVIN

Paris has recently been experiencing some fall rainstorms. That could spell bad news for collections set to show outdoors. Lanvin, however, was prepared with clear, plastic umbrellas for each guest. It almost added to the show, which built off the marine motif designer Bruno Sialelli used in his Spring Menswear 2020 collection. There were exaggerated sailor collars and other maritime standards, like blue and white stripes. Instead of straight horizontal lines, the stripes almost appeared to be melting off the garments, playing into the collection’s quirky mood. Elsewhere, sleeves were too long and collages of comic book panels were used as prints. It was a fun collection that didn’t take itself too seriously.

LOEWE

This season, J.W. Anderson got Romantic for Loewe. The heavy use of delicate materials like pearls and lace throughout the collection gave the collection a very dreamy feeling. However, it was the exaggerated lace collars and lapels that evoked a different kind of Romanticism. Nods to seventeenth and eighteenth century European fashion were scattered throughout the collection. Nowhere was the inspiration more prominent than the three lace pannier dresses, which were modern takes on a silhouette that wouldn’t seem out of place at Versailles. Those looking for more practical clothes also have plenty of options, from several variations of camel coats to floral print sundresses - not to mention new takes on classic Loewe bags and chic, round-toed boots.

MUGLER

A recent retrospective exhibition and a select group of superstars like Kim Kardashian and Cardi B have made Manfred Thierry Mugler the name on everyone’s lips. His brand is now in the hands of Casey Cadwallader, who has the task of reinterpreting Mugler’s OTT designs for the modern ready-to-wear client. Blazers were cropped incredibly high, cinched around the arms, or included sheer panels to show off corset boning underneath. Besides shoulder pads, some looks included padding at the hips for an exaggerated hourglass figure that felt straight out of Mr. Mugler’s handbook. One of the most exciting moments of the show was when three models with different figures took to the catwalk at the same time to show off three colors of the same lingerie set. It looked great on all of them.

NINA RICCI

Beach looks are not uncommon in Spring/Summer collections. Seaside vacations are a standard for warmer months. However, Nina Ricci’s new creative directors, Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh, were inspired by one vacation in particular. Watching their nephews use sand buckets as hats led to the creation of this collection’s most memorable accessory; a literal bucket bag that doubles as a hat. The rest of the collection was just as playful, with oversized, asymmetrical ruffles and padded shoulders that appeared to levitate above the body. Some looks included a textile made out of souvenir silk flowers. Volume and proportions were the two most important elements of the collection. This, combined with the sunny color pallet, made for a fun, quirky collection.

SAINT LAURENT

Anthony Vaccarello had his sights locked on the seventies this season. Yves Saint Laurent helped to define the aesthetic of the decade and Vaccarello paid homage to the brand’s heritage with this collection. It showed up in the boxy suits and overall straight up-and-down silhouette of most looks. Collared shirts were worn almost entirely unbuttoned, giving them the same louche appeal as the recent Saint Laurent menswear collections. The middle of the show prominently featured paisley prints and embroidered florals on chiffon, velvet, and lurex. A series of le smoking-inspired suit looks in black sequins closed out the show. The final look was worn by none other than Naomi Campbell, marking her first time working with the brand in a decade.

[image source: Vogue Runway]