Oh Sarah Burton! How well you played this one for Report Card. Karl blew many critics away with his breezy take on going green for Chanel, but when it comes to scoring the most “buzz,” your honeycomb dresses and wasp-waists made you the McQueen Bee.
So, about that buzz…
We bet you can guess which show got lots of attention yesterday: Yup, Hedi Slimane’s much-anticipated debut for Saint Laurent was all anyone could talk about. But Stella McCartney showed yesterday, too, and her sporty chic spring collection earned her raves–while Slimane’s reviews were mixed, to put it kindly.
Click through to see what all the critics had to say about the historic day of fashion in Paris on day seven.
Sunday was a very good day for the fashion week lunch bunch, with Sister Maria looks at Givenchy and cute jungle cats prints at Kenzo. But for the woman of a slightly older demographic, critics concurred that Céline’s furkenstocks–and inimitably chic new twist on soigné dressing–made a powerful statement for the working mother who would wear her house slippers proudly out in the world.
The critics have spoken, and here’s what they said.
Pop quiz: Design in Paris is A) conceptual B) kinda weird C) joyous D) all of the above. On a day that zipped from Space Age sportswear at Junya to crushed can crowns and Comme, Report Card can tell critics were thinking really deeply about meanings. So extra credit goes to Jean Paul Gaultier for interrogating the dichotomy between a runway show and a concert–and reminding us all that fashion is also FUN!
Here’s what the critics were buzzing about.
In case you hadn’t heard, Dior. Is. Back. Friday there really wasn’t a candidate for salutatorian, as all buzz was droned out by the roar of support from critics for Raf Simons’s New New Look–a sensually minimalist take on maximalist femininity.
Thursday designers went back to school–in some case, literally–as Alber Elbaz commenced his second decade at Lanvin with a concise essay on those icons of French femininity, le smoking and the LBD, at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. At Balenciaga, Nicolas Ghesquière earned top marks for his more-pragmatic-than-usual collection inspired by the house founder’s ballet costumes, while at Balmain, Olivier Rousteing was deemed a quick study in the pop culture of the decade in which he was born.
“Smarten up” seemed to be the coaches’ message Wednesday as the first big shows in Paris got underway. Enfant terrible Gareth Pugh was promoted to Varsity when he went medieval on critics–in a totally soigné contemporary way. Meanwhile, in the battle of moody romanticism between two great print houses, Dries van Noten and Rochas, Dries’s flannel à la française scored a touchdown–and that’s how the game was won.
Bienvenue à Paris! Tuesday the underclassman kicked things off in the City of Light, with former Cacheral creative director Cédric Charlier showing a replicant-chic lineup for his sophomore collection under his own name. And for the woman who will settle for little less than showing her entire leg, critics concurred that Anthony Vaccarello definitely brought the heat.
The intrepid fashion flock moves ever onwards. As the shows begin in Paris, flash back with Report Card to see what restrained (mostly!) acts of creativity had critics buzzing each day in Milan.
Psst… Roberto! Yes, you of the leopard spots–want to know the silver lining of showing the last day? In a Milan season where minimalism is king, when you show opposite the Caten twins’ homage to O.P.U.L.E.N.C.E., critics will consider your white leather lace trousers positively restrained thereby boosting your fashion week GPA. Here’s what they had to say.
Here’s how you know less-is-more is officially on: On the penultimate day of Milan Fashion Week, Marni went minimalist. Marni. As in the fashion girl’s go-to label for boxy tops and artfully mismatched stripes and polka dots that has always seemed practically made for The Man Repeller. And critics were loving it. You had to look to Dolce for the flour-sack minidresses.
See what the critics were ranting and raving about Bottega Veneta, Fendi, and Jil Sander!
