The fashion calendar is often difficult to comprehend and this week is no exception. Menswear shows kicked off and ended in London and Pitti Uomo got into full swing in Florence, while womenswear designers exhibited their Pre-Fall collections to press and buyers. Some brands showed Pre-Fall before Christmas (see my report here), but this week has seen some desirable items from the big guns- Celine, Balenciaga et al. Take a look below for the highlights.
Balenciaga's collection was designed by the in-house team between Nicolas Ghesquire's departure and young Alexander Wang's arrival. Their references to the archive and Cristobal Balenciaga's legacy were obvious, with plenty of on-trend 1960's shapes and style details, all in the natural fabrics their founder favoured, as opposed to Ghesquire's more futuristic textures. Loosely tailored, narrow trousers were the key piece, reviving a beaded dress inspired by one from the 1966 Fall collection- reminiscent of Raf Simon's fresh take on couture for his first Dior collection. The inclusion of trainers, styling of simple headbands and a generally 'clean' feeling gave the 60's vibe a 90's twist, but there was nothing groundbreaking here, that job has been left to Wang.
A 90's vibe was also evident in Ricardo Tisci's collection for Givenchy, with its subdued colour palette and semi-tailored masculine shapes. Never one to be satisfied by the obvious, Tisci juxtaposed the clean aesthetic with inspiration from 1970's Italian designer Walter Albini, seen in the use of ponyskin, zig-zag knits, maroon leather and some sporadic frills and ruffles. The work of furniture designer Gia Ponti inspired graphic lace patchwork and maybe also the shapes- solid tunics and straight skirts over trousers, structured capes, strict shirting. Along with some iconic prints of the Virgin Mary, must haves included the new HDG bag, chain sandals and ankle boots heeled with metal and wood.
The surprising combination of 90's minimalism and exotic 70's materials was also seen at Lanvin, where an array of animal prints and skins contrasted with several clean-cut tailored looks. Like at Givenchy, ponyskin and ruffles appeared, but in a more glamorous settings, with Alber Elbaz's use of beading and inclusion of costume jewellery adding a Studio 54 luxury. The more minimal looks were just as desirable, injected with shots of satin and leather to keep each piece polished.
The surprising combination of 90's minimalism and exotic 70's materials was also seen at Lanvin, where an array of animal prints and skins contrasted with several clean-cut tailored looks. Like at Givenchy, ponyskin and ruffles appeared, but in a more glamorous settings, with Alber Elbaz's use of beading and inclusion of costume jewellery adding a Studio 54 luxury. The more minimal looks were just as desirable, injected with shots of satin and leather to keep each piece polished.
Over at Rochas, Marco Zanini played with volume too. Firstly with a dramatic cape, then full swing coats, palazzo pants and floor length skirts that flared from mid thigh, before ending the collection with a strapless ballgown, its sleek fitted black velvet front very different from the baby pink silk back, neatly darted at the waist, expanding beautifully over the hips and into the train. The beauty of these pieces was offset with chunky loafer-style heels, casual beanie hats and knitwear. The colour palette was varied, featuring everything to sap green and terracotta, to baby pink and dove grey.
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