It's over. Paris Fashion Week is over.
It always happens every fashion season and it sucks.
As I write this review with the grunts of Serena Williams at Wimbledon in the background, it suddenly dawns on me that I've never really written much reviews on the Paris shows, ever in the history of this blog. Most of my time is spent on New York and Milan that by the time Paris Fashion Week comes, I'm too lazy to even think or translate these images on style.com to words. The never ending cycle of fashion weeks; it sometimes surprises me how editors can jet from one country to the next for 4 continuous weeks (or 3 sometimes, for the lazy ones), without feeling jaded or tired or in desperate need of a new wardrobe change or a good sleep in bed.
As such, Lanvin always get left out in this blog of mine, because it has this habit of showing in the later part of the week. I would never be able to get myself to write about it, despite how amazing each and every collection always is. (GODDAMN IT, Lanvin please revise your schedule!) Amen Spring 2010 and Fall 2010 (who never really made it here), you hear me Alber Elbaz! And so I guess it's only right to write about Lanvin this time round, FINALLY.
My love for Lanvin goes right down to my roots and blood and name. For those who didn't know, I wasn't born with the name Lucas. Instead, my parents gave me a very traditional chinese name, that has and still is giving me a lot of troubles throughout my growing-up years. (Not many people, unless you're chinese, know how to pronounce this very chinese name, just like how no one ever knows to pronounce Meadham Kirchhoff or Ball-mane or even LAWN-VAH for the matter.) I can't believe I'm telling you this now and so here's a lil' short story. There was this time I decided to name myself 'Lucas' after Lucas Ossendrijver of Lanvin after seeing his menswear collection, if I'm not wrong, it was Spring 2010. (Before Lucas, there was Alexander, named after Alexander Wang but I didn't like it after some time. Ok, that was real awkward.) And there it happened, my name ever since. This has gotta be the most absurd thing you should have ever heard, and I too feel stupid and embarrassed for doing so then. I swear I'm not even making this story up.
Moving on, 30 degrees is not exactly the best temperature to piece together a two piece suit, or even to put on a long-sleeved shirt. Without doubt, summer is the most challenging season to look elegant, and the easiest time to look all relaxed, 'minimalist', or sloppy and lazy as you go down the spectrum. Mr Alber Elbaz had pointed out that this collection was 'the antidote to laziness'. In this case, one could either look at this season's clothes as 1) an answer to looking (somewhat) polished during summer, 2) or as a wardrobe option of a summer suit (not a swimming suit, mind you) or 3) one that suggests energy, and movement or simply, sports. Sounds perfect to me. The only time I really do exercise is during a weekly one-hour session of hardcore tennis training (just to keep the calories down). Even during PE lessons at school, I couldn't even be bothered to show any sort of enthusiasm and I really do dread any type of strenuous movements. Perhaps Lanvin cycling shorts will do the magic and provide the love.
This collection had a real sporty vibe to it, probably one of the more athletic collections that Lanvin has come up with. There was the spandex, in the form of tight, stretchy knits, some that were wrapped around the torso, resembling cocoons that of Balenciaga Womenswear Spring 2009. They look somewhat breathable (and that is because they are sheer), I hope. And there were the cycling shorts, the one sporting garment that the entire fashion industry seems to be crazy about and readily approves of as something you can wear outside of sports. (Credit goes to Marc Jacobs.) The peacoats were great, but what I thought really stood out was Lanvin's take on the parka. So great that it reminded me of capes that Dracula would wear and upclose, the plush fabric detail only made it more desirable. Somehow somewhere, that smell of the fabric (leather? canvas? jersey?) is lingering in the air right here right now. Across the Atlantic, a week since the show. Wouldn't this be perfect to hug to sleep and to sniff at?
Along the way, silhouettes shifted from tight to breezy and loose. It wasn't entirely sportswear throughout, let's be honest here, no one in the right mind would go out looking like a Tour de France cyclist. Elements of that easiness and casualness of sportswear were taken apart and fused with formal tailoring. This translated to slouchy suits, with the emphasis placed on the extensive use of innovative fabrics, that would make suits in summer seem acceptable and very wearable (read: comfortable). I think it was silk that these suits were made of, and it was nothing perfect. Don't get me wrong, the suits were nothing that of prim and proper, in fact it was light, almost weightless and was wrinkled and unfinished. There were the loose seams and the rough hems, and to be honest, I was not quite sure what Lanvin was doing here. It was complicated, perhaps messy sometimes and I find myself looking back and forth at looks, trying to 'get it'. I rather leave my doubts unanswered when it comes to Lanvin.
What I appreciated from the duo was the use of textures. It's hard to describe textures (especially if you haven't really felt them yet. DUH!), but thank god style.com provided the detail shots and gosh, have I been sent to textile heaven! There was some sort of quilted fabric used on the pants, and patch-worked square patches that looked like really bad primary school art and craft; those which sides were never glued properly. The best part of the collection was undoubtedly the last parade of floral suiting. They were more than just plain old 2D floral prints, these were cut from textured, floral embossed silk, probably the best fabric ever made. I think I will make a trip down to Lanvin when these arrive in stores. After all, these are the clothes that would be great to touch and to hog on for a few hours because you know you can't afford them and memories are great, aren't they? 3D floral prints, you just never know.
The thing to note about this collection was that from afar and from just the runway pictures on style.com, there was nothing really special about it. But the essence of this collection could be found in the detail shots. The detail shots and nothing more. If it was top money you were paying for Lanvin, then it was the best and ultimately the most innovative fabrics you would be getting.