Originally posted by FWD@ October 09, 2003 - Paris
Helmut Lang: Master of Invention
By Godfrey Deeny
For a sensual yet sporty spring 2004 collection, Helmut Lang took us to a looming sports center on top of the main ring road of Paris, delivering a superb show and trumpeting what makes this city the world’s leader in women’s fashion: invention.
Lang’s big trick this season was wrapping all sorts of stuff around the waist, including shining metal bomber jackets, suede tops and jersey sweaters. On closer inspection, however, these were all part of the skirt or dress the model was wearing -- making for a sort of three-dimensional trompe l’oeil. The effect was novel and, so supremely well cut, frequently beautiful.
As ever, Lang’s models acted like they were in a hurry, late for lunch at Pastis or trying to walk off a bad relationship. When they didn’t quite sprint today, Lang and his staff pleaded with them backstage to hurry up.
Lang remains very into wrapping things -- whether swaddling cotton pants in surgical bandages or sheathing hips in metalized leather straps. And he loves chopping out chunks of fabric -- a slew of knit tops had baseball-sized holes through which chunks of fabric peeped.
"I wanted something feminine, summer and voluptuous," Lang told FWD in between hugging Italian Vogue editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani and shaking Patrizio Bertelli’s hand, before acceding to the Prada Group boss’ request for an embrace.
Instead of his usual narrow color palette, Lang played with royal purples, shiny kir and lime greens in his most colorful show to date. The overall effect was a highly original and often dazzling collection, in which each item still had its own dose of the designer’s unique design DNA. On top of that, there was not one duff note or look that didn’t work -- it was that seamlessly chic.
I can't wait to see the rest. 
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Helmut Lang's cut and material use is what attracted me to the label, as well as the often funky futurism, tweaked rigidity and simplicity in design... I have yet to find another label that mixes all of the above so well. The article is right... the cut of his garments are just to die for.
