Dior Homme F/W 06.07 Paris

[disstop]

I question Hedi's actual involvement in this collection...actually the past several collections. I feel like he's more of a stylist/marketing guy at this point

FTB, how do we know whether Hedi Slimane has ever been more than a "styling/marketing guy"? His best collections have been shaped with the participation of other designers who have proved themselves independently (Martin Ball, for example, who some have argued had as much to do with the look and feel of Luster as Hedi Slimane). And so I'm not doubting the validity of your skepticism. But there's no reason to isolate recent collections from previous collections in bringing that skepticism to bear. However, it is contradicted to an extent by reports of Hedi Slimane's work habits from collection to collection. From what I read Hedi Slimane has always worked very hard on developing the key pieces in each collection -- he spends a lot of time at the atelier as a collection is being worked up. Still doesn't mean his creative powers are soley determining the look of collections. But it does suggest he invests his energies in more than just "styling and marketing". I don't think that, just because there have been a lot of cheap and easy pieces recently, you can therefore assume H.S. has dropped his work ethic and devotion to design.

 

[fashionken]

God could we stop argueing about Fish-Eyes and just concentrate on our looks already...

 

[louis]

I liked the Razorlight song too, mostly because of the lyrics.

I'm into metal.

Yahoo, great taste but personally I LOVE MICHAEL JACKSON, he's the ultimate genius and surely the biggest star to hit this planet....

 

[Fade to Black]

FTB, how do we know whether Hedi Slimane has ever been more than a "styling/marketing guy"? His best collections have been shaped with the participation of other designers who have proved themselves independently (Martin Ball, for example, who some have argued had as much to do with the look and feel of Luster as Hedi Slimane). And so I'm not doubting the validity of your skepticism. But there's no reason to isolate recent collections from previous collections in bringing that skepticism to bear. However, it is contradicted to an extent by reports of Hedi Slimane's work habits from collection to collection. From what I read Hedi Slimane has always worked very hard on developing the key pieces in each collection -- he spends a lot of time at the atelier as a collection is being worked up. Still doesn't mean his creative powers are soley determining the look of collections. But it does suggest he invests his energies in more than just "styling and marketing". I don't think that, just because there have been a lot of cheap and easy pieces recently, you can therefore assume H.S. has dropped his work ethic and devotion to design.

argh...i typed a long response to this but it didn't go through...i'll try to sum up what i wrote:

It's not so much the abundance of 'cheap and easy pieces' that causes my skepticism, as that's probably attributed more to the corporation behind the brand. It's just the huge shifts in the brand image, the 'Dior look' if you will. Like you said, those early collections had a team of high-profile, talented assistants that contributed to what most fans refer to as the 'golden age,' then all of a sudden comes this commercial period when the clothes are more reflective of Hedi's extracurricular activities. Now with this collection there's a return to dressing up, and I am not saying it's a bad collection, in fact I applaud Hedi for going back to something that is more in tune with what Dior should be. But during that transitional period when everyone jumped ship, it seems the focus seemed to shift more to building a 'lifestyle' clothing brand rather than concentration on the immaculate design that marked the earlier seasons. Coincidentally, this is when hype for the brand really started gathering steam...i'm not trying to discredit the validity of Hedi's vision, after all he gives the green light to everything as creative director. It's just I'm skeptical, actually more like confused, as to what his true design ability and philosophy is given all these broad strokes made from season to season. If you separate the brand as periods from Solitaire to Strip, and VotC to S/S 06, and then this, it doesn't seem like a very cohesive vision from one man. A counter example is Raf Simons, even though he's always innovating and updating, there's more of a consistency in the underlying element of his work...

and Magnum I apologize for attacking you earlier, it's just i was offended by your dismissal of my criticism as something trivial like 'not being able to wear a tailcoat with orange overdyes.' My comments on the formality and styling of the pieces was more a response to posters' perceptions on how the pieces should be worn, and has nothing to do with my argument in the above paragraph.

 

[doo888]

boys, thought they could rack up on thrift store waistcoats, tight jeans, tanks, throw on a yard of material as a scarf. and bam, "i'm luxorious. because its dior homme"

this show was the end of that...that phase. dior is now what it was always ment to be. risky, exclusive, and hard to pull off. its not for everyone...the t-shirts, the jeans, it was all too easy. its back to structure, detail & delicate roughness....hedi slimane.

Yes, you pretty much summed it up for me.

In terms of wearability, i think the majority of clients that purchased during the first 4 seasons (or those who purchase DH tailoring/eveningwear) wouldn't deem this too unwearable. This was the young/mature DH that was prevalent as opposed to the last 3 seasons of 'young indie boy' dress balanced with some ridiculously expensive pieces in the name of 'high fashion'. T-shirts and jeans is simply too easy, too accessible.

Stylistically it's a complete reversal to what was shown previously and i'm glad as i thought that the jeans/t-shirt/baseball jacket identity being portrayed was simply distasteful. I can understand if those who primarily purchased during the indie era considered this presentation a little too extreme in the eveningwear, and fair enough.

However, i'm positive that on the shelves all this formal attire will be contrasted with the t-shirts, jeans and other regular daywear that is now commonly seen (the military/safari jackets are re-produced every single season afterall..) as that's just inevitable in terms of sales pushing.

Anyhow, on the runway there were the usual leather blousons (absolutely nothing special IMO), duffle coats, trench coats, jeans, cardigans, suits etcetera intertwined with the formal eveningwear. Besides, how is one supposed to demonstrate couture-esque handwork with bland daywear? This was afterall, a presentation for Slimane to turn his back on rock (or maybe not considering the music) and to captivate the clientele that were alienated with recent seasons.

As for the aspect of femininity, that has always been integral to DH and even back to Slimane/YSL Rive Gauche. I don't want to delve into a deep discussion of gender/sexuality/androgyny, but the whole male/female thing has been present since day 1; bright fuschia outfit from A/W'01 and petite sizing?

Yes it isn't as good as Solitaire, but i doubt anything could ever top that anyway. I for one am glad the back has been turned on indie rock and items that 9/10 kids/teens are commonly wearing (why would i pay serious £ for items that make me look like just another member of the 'Myspace' population? Christ, i once took a look at the Dior Homme group on there and it's essentially indie kids who caught on post-S/S'04).

Quality wise, tailoring has always been impeccable be it the classic 'staple' suits or the 5 button blazers from S/S'06; all excellent and i have no complaints. Thus it'd be an insult for all these tailcoats/tuxedos to be made of a subpar standard, it won't happen. Other items i'm not so sure, though.

My 2 pence worth, anyway.

 

[Fade to Black]

Haha Winston I don't really mess with myspace (have an account that's collecting dust), but I'm guilty as charged of not catching on until S/S 04 (that's when I first even heard of the brand). I'd love to have a wardrobe full of Reflection though (not as revolutionary as Solitaire but probably more in tune with my personal aesthetic).

 

[doo888]

Haha Winston I don't really mess with myspace (have an account that's collecting dust), but I'm guilty as charged of not catching on until S/S 04 (that's when I first even heard of the brand). I'd love to have a wardrobe full of Reflection though (not as revolutionary as Solitaire but probably more in tune with my personal aesthetic).

You're not an 'indie kid'. And there lies the difference !

Disclaimer: I don't actually discriminate against the indie population BTW

 

[fashionken]

Yahoo, great taste but personally I LOVE MICHAEL JACKSON, he's the ultimate genius and surely the biggest star to hit this planet....

Who are you and how do you know me?

 

[JuiceMajor]

Who Is the Modern Man? What Will He Wear?

By CATHY HORYN
PARIS
IN an operatic collection that seemed to hold its audience at knife point, Hedi Slimane of Dior closed the French fall 2006 men's shows with svelte tailcoats, starched shirt fronts and one Count Dracula cape, leaving the air charged with an erotic formality as well as many questions.

Was the collection a calling card, a bid by Mr. Slimane to return to Yves Saint Laurent, where he designed men's wear before the house was sold to Gucci and where Stefano Pilati is now in charge? Judging from the couture-fit of the tuxedos, the superelongated line of trench coats and the floppy bow ties at the throats of the androgynous models, all elements in Mr. Saint Laurent's repertory, you might think so.

Mr. Slimane, who is eager to do women's clothes, said the melancholia of the show reflected only his general mood, not a deeper unhappiness. His boss, Sidney Toledano, the chief executive of Dior, said Mr. Slimane wasn't leaving. "No way," Mr. Toledano said.

But was this show influenced by Raf Simons, who initiated the shift toward formality more than a year ago and who has since taken over Jil Sander? Until this season Mr. Slimane was mainly captivated by the rock music world. Certainly formality is the news of the Paris men's season, with a strong debut from Lanvin and its creative director, Alber Elbaz, who showed a delicate silhouette of grape velvet blazers, floppy ties, a long black dressing gown and tuxedos.



http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/02/fashion/thursdaystyles/02PARIS.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

 

[louis]

Who are you and how do you know me?

YOU are MR. JACKSON the KING OF POP???

 

[louis]

Who Is the Modern Man? What Will He Wear?

By CATHY HORYN
PARIS
IN an operatic collection that seemed to hold its audience at knife point, Hedi Slimane of Dior closed the French fall 2006 men's shows with svelte tailcoats, starched shirt fronts and one Count Dracula cape, leaving the air charged with an erotic formality as well as many questions.

Was the collection a calling card, a bid by Mr. Slimane to return to Yves Saint Laurent, where he designed men's wear before the house was sold to Gucci and where Stefano Pilati is now in charge? Judging from the couture-fit of the tuxedos, the superelongated line of trench coats and the floppy bow ties at the throats of the androgynous models, all elements in Mr. Saint Laurent's repertory, you might think so.

Mr. Slimane, who is eager to do women's clothes, said the melancholia of the show reflected only his general mood, not a deeper unhappiness. His boss, Sidney Toledano, the chief executive of Dior, said Mr. Slimane wasn't leaving. "No way," Mr. Toledano said.

But was this show influenced by Raf Simons, who initiated the shift toward formality more than a year ago and who has since taken over Jil Sander? Until this season Mr. Slimane was mainly captivated by the rock music world. Certainly formality is the news of the Paris men's season, with a strong debut from Lanvin and its creative director, Alber Elbaz, who showed a delicate silhouette of grape velvet blazers, floppy ties, a long black dressing gown and tuxedos.



http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/02/fashion/thursdaystyles/02PARIS.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Oh juice, any news about SUZY thoughts on the new collection???

 

[JuiceMajor]

Oh juice, any news about SUZY thoughts on the new collection???

Nope!! Is Hedi in trouble?

 

[seeing_double]

I'm pretty sure that cumberbund has some kind of corset/cincher effect, I seriously doubt this model is anorectic.

However, it looks ridiculous and woman-like. Men aren't supposed to be curvy. Maybe Monsieur Slimane is a bit too hung up on a certain "fashion icon"...

I highly doubt that cumberbund has a corset effect to it, unless some new corset can miraculously squeeze your hip bones together. That is just the model's figure...he doesn't look anorexic...but I am not trying to start a weight dicussion.

...and he doesn't look curvy whatseoever.

 

[seeing_double]

January 31, 2006
It's not just the radical shift in proportion, from pipe-cleaner to Oxford bags. Something of greater significance seems to be changing for Hedi Slimane. Following his show, he admitted to a new mood of melancholy. The staging certainly supported such a notion. His boys—all thin as usual, some now fearfully attenuated—walked in shadows, illuminated by a pillar of fire that burned biblically at the end of the runway throughout the presentation.

Whatever the deeper symbolism, Slimane is certainly in a reflective frame of mind. He talked about a return to the couture concept with which he launched his career (phoenix to the flame?), and the precision and detailing of his clothes were a tribute to the handiwork of his atelier. Nothing displays such skills better than eveningwear; was that why Slimane's collection was dominated by variations on Le Smoking? It made for an intriguing tip of the cap to Yves Saint Laurent, the master in whose footsteps he once followed.

Such clothes also seemed designed to appeal to Hedi's female clientele, most obviously items like a beaded bolero, a tiny gilet with kimono sleeves, or a jacket that turned to reveal a beaded, ruched back. Perhaps that's his way of announcing he's ready to stretch a little. Still, there were plenty of items that were unmistakably from a man's wardrobe: a tweed topcoat, a duffel with braided closings, a pinstriped suit, a black leather blouson. Meanwhile, the formal details—the satin waistband on a pair of trousers, pearl buttons on a shirt, the ribbons tied at the throat—were balanced by the waistband of old jeans worn as a grunge cummerbund.
— Tim Blanks

men.style.com
-------------------------

...what jacketjacket featured a beaded back?

 

[pillarist]

Yes it isn't as good as Solitaire, but i doubt anything could ever top that anyway. I for one am glad the back has been turned on indie rock and items that 9/10 kids/teens are commonly wearing (why would i pay serious £ for items that make me look like just another member of the 'Myspace' population? Christ, i once took a look at the Dior Homme group on there and it's essentially indie kids who caught on post-S/S'04).

Haha, well said Winston! But what of the "friendster" population?

 

[louis]

Nope!! Is Hedi in trouble?

No, I don't think it's just that in her column on the International Herald Tribune still NO word of this new astonishing collection

 

[Magnum]

argh...i typed a long response to this but it didn't go through...i'll try to sum up what i wrote:

It's not so much the abundance of 'cheap and easy pieces' that causes my skepticism, as that's probably attributed more to the corporation behind the brand. It's just the huge shifts in the brand image, the 'Dior look' if you will. Like you said, those early collections had a team of high-profile, talented assistants that contributed to what most fans refer to as the 'golden age,' then all of a sudden comes this commercial period when the clothes are more reflective of Hedi's extracurricular activities. Now with this collection there's a return to dressing up, and I am not saying it's a bad collection, in fact I applaud Hedi for going back to something that is more in tune with what Dior should be. But during that transitional period when everyone jumped ship, it seems the focus seemed to shift more to building a 'lifestyle' clothing brand rather than concentration on the immaculate design that marked the earlier seasons. Coincidentally, this is when hype for the brand really started gathering steam...i'm not trying to discredit the validity of Hedi's vision, after all he gives the green light to everything as creative director. It's just I'm skeptical, actually more like confused, as to what his true design ability and philosophy is given all these broad strokes made from season to season. If you separate the brand as periods from Solitaire to Strip, and VotC to S/S 06, and then this, it doesn't seem like a very cohesive vision from one man. A counter example is Raf Simons, even though he's always innovating and updating, there's more of a consistency in the underlying element of his work...

and Magnum I apologize for attacking you earlier, it's just i was offended by your dismissal of my criticism as something trivial like 'not being able to wear a tailcoat with orange overdyes.' My comments on the formality and styling of the pieces was more a response to posters' perceptions on how the pieces should be worn, and has nothing to do with my argument in the above paragraph.

NP. I wasn't referring to you personally, it was that I read a lot of sceptical posts coming from the same angle. I don't know who wrote what and such. I'm very normally very diplomatic, I shouldn't have used the word stupid, and that last paragraph came off a little wrong when I look back but it was in no way a backstab at anyone, I just meant that is wouldn't be that hard to find something wearable because the formal attires were just a part of the collection, not everything.

Of course I didn't mean that you question his involvement becaus eyou can't wear a tailcoat with jeans, it just seemed that your sceptism came from nowhere all of a sudden with no real substance to this collection as a whole. If anything I'd believe that his involvement was MORE , rather than less ,compared to the previous seasons, so I guess your post (and others) came off like something you would have written no matter bad or good the collection was, and that just didn't make sense to me.

Anyways, who's saying that a good collection means more involvement from Hedi and vice versa..? Just look at Lagerfelds role at Fendi and Chanel


And you Doo888, anything you write comes off as foolproof and right on target, I hate you for that

Peace

 

[JuiceMajor]

No, I don't think it's just that in her column on the International Herald Tribune still NO word of this new astonishing collection

Yeh I realise and is has been long overdue!! She seems to be quite quick on things like that. Perhaps she is writting a book on the review!!

 

[sonicyooth]

Yes, you pretty much summed it up for me.
Anyhow, on the runway there were the usual leather blousons (absolutely nothing special IMO), duffle coats, trench coats, jeans, cardigans, suits etcetera intertwined with the formal eveningwear. Besides, how is one supposed to demonstrate couture-esque handwork with bland daywear? This was afterall, a presentation for Slimane to turn his back on rock (or maybe not considering the music) and to captivate the clientele that were alienated with recent seasons.

Must menswear be forever caught in a formal vs street-jeans look extremes? Discussions about everyday wearability is always in reference to the rock star look (e.g., how to match certain items with jeans and/or t-shirt) for the wearer to look cool/funkily dressed/respectable etc etc. Can everyday wear move away from the ubiquitous jeans and/or t-shirt look and still be considered funky?

I'm glad Slimane took on the rock look in the recent past seasons (it's inevitable given his slim aesthetic) but also glad that he moves away from it to present a non-rock look.

Also, I think it's to much to expect a designer to perform miracles every season. After all, there's only so much you can do with jackets and pants (without alienating the majority of the fashion population). Each designer is associated with a particular aesthetic and each season is a variation of that aesthetic (Helmut Lang, Jil Sander, Comme, Yohji, Neil Barrett).The only designer, in my mind, who's quite ahead of the time is Raf Simons, who's willing to experiment frequently (although I'm not sure how much that has impact his sales).

 

[fashionken]

Yeh I realise and is has been long overdue!! She seems to be quite quick on things like that. Perhaps she is writting a book on the review!!

I'm looking forward to reading her review as well. Anyone seen anything from Hilary Alexander at Daily Telegraph?

And no comments from Karl this year?