PARIS...Belgian designer Bernard Wilhelm has worked with legends like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, so it should be no surprise that his designs are an artfully layered exploration of cultural references and directional silhouettes. For F/W 09 he continued to explore some of his ideas about mixing plaid and tribal designs from spring, latching onto a basic windowpane design in
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Paris...Stella McCartney
In an attempt to get back to her roots, McCartney gleaned inspiration from her earlier collections to put together looks for her F/W 09 collection. Oversized outerwear with a belted waist was presented in a multitude of materials, from wool gabardine to a pulled knit reminiscent of a shag rug texture. One key item remained from her more
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PARIS...Jeremy Scott is one of fashion's favorite pranksters, enjoying a loyal following with many of the industry elite for his disregard for more staid tenets of chic. Showing in Paris is sometimes out of step with his designs, but the crowd seems to love him anyway, reacting with enthusiasm to his pop culture references and juniors friendly silhouettes. For F/W
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PARIS... Junior favorite Tsumori Chisato may not have the well known success of other labels who focus on prints, such as Eley Kishimoto, but the designer, formerly of Issey Miyake, brings an energetic lightness to the runway in Paris each season. For F/w 09, Chisato presented a surprisingly pastel collection for the season, a fanciful exploration of celestial symbolism juxtaposed
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Paris...Viktor & Rolf
With Greek statues as the backdrop, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren sustained a theatrical feeling similar to the one crafted for their spring collection video performance. The sensation of animated statues came to life for F/W 09, with white painted faces setting the mythic context. Dramatic draping on copper-toned jersey dresses were reminiscent of goddess styles that
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Paris...Hussein Chalayan
Fabric manipulation and innovation has been a trademark of Chalayan’s, as evident with last season's tough-to-beat molded “windblown” silhouettes. In mostly grey tones, a new fabric emerged for his F/W 09 collection: acetate foam. Entitled “Earthbound,” looks in the synthetic material was used on dresses and coats to create rock formations similar to boulders found on a construction site.
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Paris... Karl Lagerfeld
Contrary to the majority of designers looking into the past for inspiration for their F/W 09 collections, Lagerfeld looked towards future horizons for his broad-shouldered silhouettes. Referring to the shape as “the bridge,” he created this dramatic style in a variety of ways with capes, crystal-encrusted straps and cap sleeves. In dark brown and rich black, these futuristic
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PARIS...MF Girbaud exists between more mass market streetwear and runway fashion, providing higher end looks for juniors that are still casual enough for everyday wear. This season, the Girbaud silhouette faltered a bit, with some oddly baggy and gathered oversize tunics and dresses distracting from better pieces like striped leggings and embellished jackets. Open necklines also looked messy and as
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Paris...Givenchy
Creating juxtapositions on female forms, designer Riccardo Tisci draped the body in a multitude of menswear fabrics and delicate materials. Exotic feathers, fur and roped beads merged with more traditional fabrics like satin, tweed and wool gabardine with a common element of extenuated shoulders. Molding on black and navy plaid dresses, fur-trimmed military jackets, and tops covered in roped beading
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PARIS...The young designer Esteban Cortazar has matured quickly at his Ungaro post these past few seasons, tempering energetic colors and prints reminiscent of his native Miami with a downbeat khaki and sophisticated cuts. Perfect for a lively junior customer who also seeks a level of refinement, Ungaro's F/W 09 centered around mixed graphic prints that incorporated dots and an abstract
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Paris...Dries Van Noten
Rendering color in an artistic fashion has become a trademark for Van Noten along with his notable prints. Baggy mustard silk crepe pants looked relaxed yet sophisticated paired with a violet shirt and an alabaster double-breasted blazer. Skirt suits in graphic floral prints were pieced together, mixing sliced panels in an interwoven pattern with burnt orange
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Paris...Haider Ackermann
Perhaps reflecting his rising star, Haider Ackermann moved his show into a larger venue with a crowd to match. His seductive F/W 09 collection pondered a woman who desires to reveal her androgynous side. The designer retained his signature deconstructed supple leather jackets with multiple zipper closures that were so successful last season. A one-shouldered dress was slit to
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Paris...Ann Demeulemeester
With a return to her balanced palette of black and white, Demeulemeester’s F/W 09 collection was fit for a man but suited for a woman. Metallic embellished jacquards were used in a folkloric pattern, but not in typical bright colors – only black on black. These tops, layered over turtlenecks, wrapped the body and were belted at the waist.
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Paris...Christian Dior
With each look styled using flapper head coverings and painted faces, John Galliano's F/W 09 Dior collection was a modern rendition of Paul Poiret's masterful style. A classic face-framing navy coat was simultaneously new and yet vintage with a dramatic swirled fur collar and large embroidered mandala graphics. Outerwear had a rounded dimensionality derived from structural ruby satin layered
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PARIS...Vivienne Westwood's place among the fashion elite is a bit different than many of her contemporaries, due to her storied history in the industry as well as her activist leanings. Due to her recent use of Pamela Anderson in ad campaigns the F/W 09 show was even more eagerly anticipated by many, and Westwood did not disappoint. Her wild designs
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