An explosion of texture, tribal street style, Dada Surrealism and sweeping
volumes in elegant clothes with a savage edge from among style’s most
prominent talents offered an exhilarating trip through the big news in
fashion.

Carven’s Guillaume Henry kept the boots high (well above the knee) and
the skirts mostly baby doll short in his bright, tailored collection with
a hint of the 40s. Even the dresses with flat collars and zippers looked
like suits. And the fun comes in leopard prints, mini pleat insets and
appliqués —velvet hands and mystery man silhouettes running across
dresses and
arrows pointing in all directions on a chubby faux fur coat. Henry name
checked Dada artists Man Ray, Francis Picabia and Erwin Blumenfeld as
inspirations, but it looked like he’d also had a chat with Elsa
Schiaparelli about Surrealism and nonsense elegance.

Alix Thomsen’s fashion nonsense turned into a class trip at Galerie
Perrotin in the Marais where her unruly gang of school girls took in the
swirling canvases of Bernard Frize. Watched over by a strict matron who
led visitors on a tour through the gallery, Thomsen’s clique is the perfect
picture of what young Paisians are wearing currently.

At Lanvin which is celebrting it’s 125th year, Alber Elbaz dived into
texture with abandon to give his long, bias shapes a wild-and-woolly
look. Tiers of ruffled and fringed tweed was savage and extreme in long,
sweeping ladylike silhouettes. What’s interesting here is how Elbaz
combines the wild with the refined. Beside the voluminous looks, he
slipped in washed silk satin, fine pleating and leather for body tracing
shapes which match drama with reality. And then he discovered silk fringe,
a flapper classic which he layered in muted multicolors and irregular
lengths for a bit of urban tribal panache.

Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing took a step forward this season with a
collection which discarded the tenants of luxury for a street vibe.
Rihanna, the house’s new face was caught in traffic so she couldn’t make
the show, but it looked like she and Rousteing had dreamed up this
makeover together. Military khaki tailoring is feminized in crossover
shape leather jackets over hourglass skirts and sexy cargo pants with
plenty of leopard and chains. Despite the casual vibe, Rousteing didn’t
spare on the handwork. His tunics with box pleat peplums and hourglass
dresses in a tangle of military full dress silk braids are works of art.

Rick Owens is known for his theatrical productions, but he turned the
tables this time in a calm show featuring his friends, extended family and
close collaborators as models. And the fact is, Owens dosen’t need the
fireworks to make the point that his clothes are street worthy and great
for women of all ages and shapes. His new silhouette is a sweeping
cape-like coat worn over a second skin top with detachable gloves and
wonderful sock-like boots with sneaker toes.

article : Rebecca Voight http://www.superfluparis.com/
Photos: Style.com