From The Straits Times    |

There’s always something about a fashion week that makes people want to forcibly organise shows into two categories, namely, the brands that do their own thing, and the brands that make trends happen.

With every season, there are more than enough brands to fill up both sides equally, so it was to no surprise that this was plainly apparent at Paris Fashion Week.

The last of the four cities to host fashion week saw the likes of Givenchy, Lanvin and more take to the anti-trend camp, boasting fierce, dark looks, while others such as Carven and Dior took to the opposite camp with saccharine sweet looks that fell in line with what everyone else will be doing for summer next year.

Givenchy & Lanvin

Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci once again did what he does best, spinning a dark yet modern tale; this time it was one of the sea, with surfers and mermaids as his inspiration.

White skin-tight leggings appeared to be the backbone of the collection, mostly worn with over-sized tuxedo blazer vests or collared shirts with a rounded shirttail.

Soft but structured cascading ruffles and stiff peplum skirts directly referenced mermaid tails, but only if those mermaids were slightly sinister and mysterious, since these shapes were set in the darkest of blacks that glimmered tantalizingly under the glare of spotlights, edged, as they are, with shark or stingray skin.

More dramatic, were the die-cut black leather paillettes on some outfits that clearly pointed to fish scales, heightening the somewhat ominous undercurrent that the sheer, angelic-like white versions failed to sufficiently counter. But it is doubtful Tisci would have it any other way.

For Lanvin, Alber Elbaz crafted an almost fantastical collection that brought to mind a mystical Greek legend, replete with Medusa-like coiled snakes and Aphrodite goddesses. Slim-fitting power suits in a flat black hinted at a sultry edge, with peeks of skin showing through precise cuts, while some dresses came with a glittering green snake printed all across the shoulders and neck.

On a pantsuit, the snakes increased in number, until they seemed to be entirely circling the model. But suddenly, it was as if Elbaz himself got freaked out by how detailed he made the snakes, and later turned them into singular swirls of colour instead.

There was the Aphrodite equivalent as well, with billowing crepe and silk dresses in blush pink, aqua blue and lime green draped delicately across one shoulder, summing up what Elbaz wanted Lanvin to be, sensuous, dark and edgy – quite atypically Elbaz – but beautiful all the same.

Dior & Carven

Sitting pretty on the opposite bank is Dior, which, under the helm of Bill Gaytten, showed a remarkably subdued collection. It couldn’t have been further from Galliano’s flamboyance and flair for the dramatics.

  

From see-through crème skirts, English rose organza dresses and crepe de chine evening gowns, Gaytten’s ladylike vision was all dreamy, romantic and nostalgic. After all, Gaytten did dig deep into the Dior archives for inspiration.

There were influences from the thirties all the way up to the fifties, characterized by the wider necklines that sat straight across the collarbone, as well as delicately nipped in waists. And there seemed to be other influences as well, with vaguely art deco-reminiscent mosaic patterns lining the edges of dresses for day and rose-gold sequins decorating the ivory evening wear equivalent.

  

For Gaytten, who hasn’t had much support from the fashion crowd, this all too pretty collection was picture perfect, and hopefully, the saving grace after his somewhat disastrous attempt at couture for Dior.

Carven is a relative newcomer to the fashion scene, but designer Guillaume Henry is already making waves with his youthful, perky spin on clothes women will love.

  

From the buzz surrounding a particular leather mustard dress almost instantly when it came out on the runway, it was obvious Carven will be the next big name, not unlike the current ‘It’ crowd’s designer of the moment, Erdem Moralioglu.

Henry has always had a knack for churning out classic pieces, all of which hint at something naughty, and this time was no different. Other than preppy flippy dresses with strategic cut-outs, and tunic shift-dresses with zig-zag lace panels, there were tops that bared a sliver of skin right above the belly button, as well as prim little collars on almost everything.

  

So it was with this sense of irreverence, and a healthy dose of chirpy chevron, tribal-esque prints that got everyone to sit up and really take notice. Clearly, everyone noticed how his clothes managed to simultaneously make the models look wonderfully prepubescent, but yet so on trend all at the same time.