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It was easy to pick the best show from the resort collections. There were many great clothes shown in the collections - easy to wear, ready to transition from the store to your own wardrobe - but there was only one presentation that really breathed life, though, and that was Lanvin. Between the humor (which is rapidly evaporating from the world), the movement and youthfulness of the clothes, and the liveliness of the presentation itself (featuring a backdrop of fashion-obsessed spectators), both the presentation and the clothing had vitality, wit, and a sense of festivity that made me want to join that world. Besides being the most joyful presentation, the clothing revealed a side to Alber Elbaz's talent that I really appreciate. Despite his ability to cut beautiful clothing, there is something about Elbaz's work that has always struck me as being old. Maybe it's the 40s references or his insistent presentation of ladylike silhouettes - regardless, I've never quite jived with it. Here, though, all thoughts of old ladies and past decades were done away with as Elbaz presented brilliant shots of color, youthful cuts, and the most beautifully flowing clothes seen in all the resort collections. Here are a few of his show's key points.
TRENCHCOATS
In this collection, Elbaz adopted the current fervor for jackets by widely useing trenchcoats to formalize the youthfulness of the clothes, as well as to provide that finishing polish to the more sophisticated outfits, as seen here. Without the trench, this would be a nice dress, but the overall look would be a bit undone. Add the trench and suddenly the outfit seems finished, though no small part of that finished effect is derived from the beautiful cut and fabric of the trench.
In an unrelated sidenote, what initially piqued my interest in this collection were the Cuban heels, in particular, and the footwear at large. True, some of this footwear is dowdy, but all of it is wearable. None of it will elevate you into a human crane, nor does any of it require a whole new wardrobe just to match the shoes. I dearly, dearly hope this is a trend designers keep up, because it is nearly impossible to find good shoes these days.
VOLUME
Volume is a central theme for Elbaz, who has previously shown parachute dresses, puffy sleeves, and the ridiculously high heels aforementioned. In this collection, volume takes on a more youthful, festive feel in the form of circle skirts. There is a far more casual feel to the volume in these skirts than in previous collections, making them appropriate and wearable for day. It is almost as if the stuffy formality of previous formality has literally been ripped away from these skirts, leaving only a kind of casual looseness and informality perfect for wasting away the days aimlessly on vacation.
YOUTH
This is easily the most youthful presentation I've ever seen from Lanvin. Between the jolts of color, the styling, and the clothes themselves (jumpsuits, harem pants, hi-tops), this collection very easily and successfully combined the fluidity and luxury of Lanvin's cuts and fabrics with the playfulness and experimentation of youth. It's easy to see how the models were so able to get into character - these clothes are fun. What's more, they are so elegant in design that they may be both dressed up and played down, proving truly versatile and functional. Both the top and the trousers of this outfit are of a highly sophisticated cut and fabric, and either may be used in conjuction with more neutral foundational pieces to provide a punch of color and liveliness to the standard wardrobe. To my mind, though, this outfit is right as it is. I couldn't wear it, lime green and harem pants not being my most flattering looks, but I appreciate the playfulness of the color and the willingness to dress down multi-thousand dollar Lanvin with hi-tops (if there's anything I love, it's the unexpected).
COLOR
I cannot say it enough - this is the most colorful Lanvin presentation I've ever seen. Elbaz has used color before, but this intense saturation of neons, acid hues, and primary colors is something new. It can be particularly difficult to make a very bright, tonal look like this look sophisticated, but Elbaz achieved this through luxurious fabrics and a mature approach. Though bright, the trenchcoat keeps the outfit elegant and adult, leaving all eccentric touches to the accessories rather than the clothes themselves.
EVENING
Lanvin easily presented resort's most beautiful evening clothes. Full-length, fluid, and highly romantic, these are evening clothes that seem light enough, both in weight and mood, to carry into the day. These are beautiful, beautiful dresses, the best part of them being that they highlight the wearer than themselves. Though not usually a fan of prints for evening, I particularly like this dress. The print is muted enough that it maintains dignity, and it hasn't been so widely advertised as to immediately date itself. This is a dress that you could easily pull out of your closet for years to come.
Labels: fashion notes, lanvin
2/04/2010 [2]
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