Et, c’est la fin. On the third and final day of the couture shows, Jean Paul Gaultier said "Jai Ho!" while at Valentino, though they swore they hadn't called Karl and Raf, Maria and Pierpaolo let the garden grow.
Couture, old-fashioned? Not if two septuagenarians have anything to say about it. On the second day of the shows, Karl Lagerfeld, 79, incorporated elements of streetstyle at Chanel while Giorgio Armani, 78, gave a masterclass in women wearing pants at Armani Privé.
In case you were watching a certain inaugural fashion spectacular on this side of the Atlantic and missed the first day of couture fashion week, here's what critics had to say about the shows: Donatella Versace put the she wolves in chainmetal, Giambattista Valli toed the line between flora and fauna, and at Christian Dior, Raf Simons upped the ante one million flowers.
Grunge! Chic beekeepers! New Looks! Damier dresses! If your head is still spinning from 9 days of nonstop fashion action the City of Light--ours are, for sure--we've got your handily reductive recap of each day's critics' pick for top show. Presenting the Paris Fashion Week spring 2013 Honor Roll.
Well, here we are. Le fin of Paris Fashion Week--and the end of our four-week, four-city international fashion marathon. On the day of second acts, Miuccia Prada did some typically subversive takes on '50s shapes at Miu Miu. But it was Marc Jacobs--that guy who defined this season's graphic obsession with his collection of stripped down stripes for his namesake line back in New York--who made Louis Vuitton's iconic damier motif look not-so-square. Checkmate. Here's what the critics were buzz-buzz-buzzing about.
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!
It's Versace versus Versus.
Let's get one thing clear: Heritage is the name of the game this season in Milan. So critics were actually pretty excited when MaxMara went back to its house codes (read: Sharp safari-wear for the urban jungle). But, oh, that Miuccia. Girl gets extra credit for making Japonaiserie of all things look, well, the most original it's ever been. Find out what everyone had to say about these two aesthetically different collections.
Ciao, Milan! It's a little over a week till the official unofficial start of Red Carpet Season (AKA: the Emmys), and on the first day of Milan fashion Week Alberta Ferretti got the party started early sending out even-more-beautiful-than-usual shimmering, glimmering evening gowns. Meanwhile, Frida Giannini earned top marks with critics for turning back to the Dolce Vita era for a look that was very Gucci, if not Gucci, Gucci.
Well, that was quick. In case the Technicolor whirlwind--with a bit of 90s minimalism swirled in--that was London Fashion Week blew you by, Report C
Here's the delicious thing about British fashion: on the final day of London Fashion Week, two labels that start with "Mmmm"--labels that couldn't be more different, megabrand Mulberry and Meadham Kirchhoff--earned top marks for their confections. Emma Hill's clutch zip-detachable iPad totes had critics salivating, while Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff's deranged corsetry carried the torch for costume drama, proving you can have your cake and eat it too.
The penultimate day of London Fashion Week was full of eye-catching looks, from electric bright trenches at Burberry to Peter Pilotto's ecstatically exuberant digital prints. But Report Card knows when it comes to true displays of eccentricity, critics felt Christopher Kane's girl carried the day with her sweet pastels, latex bows, and worm-like appliques all in the mix.
How to stand out in a packeddd fashion week calendar? Well this being London Town (i.e the place where things like sparkly gimp masks and blazers embellished with mirrors and pompoms are par for the course), the answer Sunday when the Topshop girl discovered Minimalism proved to be to reign it in--relatively speaking. Critics deemed Preen's rose-and-reptile splicework (rendered in soft pastels) a beautiful evolution, and felt Mary Katrantzou's cash prints really made the garden of art and commerce grow.