New designers seek to bring own touch to big labels
By Kerstin Gehmlich 14 minutes ago
Designer Olivier Theyskens smiled timidly in relief as he won roaring applause for the light silk dresses and dramatic evening gowns he showed in his first collection for Nina Ricci on Sunday.
Taking over at a famous brand is no easy task for the new designers on Paris catwalks, who have to live up to high expectations and must strike a balance between imposing their own style and remaining faithful to the history of the house.
Theyskens is not the only one facing the challenge. Sweden's Paulo Melim Andersson presented cape-like dresses in a first line for Chloe on Saturday and Norway's Peter Dundas rolled out his third collection for Emanuel Ungaro earlier this week.
"For my first collection, I didn't really want to open the (color) palette too much," the soft-spoken Theyskens said after presenting floating gray dresses and long gowns of the kind that have already seduced Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon.
Theyskens, who came from Rochas after the label stopped its fashion business last year, has had a head start at Ricci.
Even before the official presentation of his first line, Theyskens struck a deal to dress Witherspoon at the awards season, and the actress won much praise for her sleeveless Ricci dress at the Oscars -- a clever coup, experts say.
"He's a young designer. It's really vital to raise some publicity surrounding his arrival at the house," said Hilary Alexander, fashion director at The Daily Telegraph.
Mario Grauso, the president of the Puig fashion group to which Nina Ricci belongs, said retailers' demand for Theyskens' collection was already huge.
"I've never had more distribution meetings in my whole career," he told reporters at the show. "Everyone wants the collection," he said. Ricci would be selling at luxury retailer Bergdorf Goodman in New York, and Theyskens would design furniture and wallpaper for Ricci shops, he said.
"We have a $600 T-Shirt for a very young girl and then we have a $17,000 gown and a spectrum in between. And I think that's what a talented designer does," he said.
NEW FACE AT CHLOE
Swedish designer Andersson also sought to leave his mark on a famous label in his first show for Chloe on Saturday, presenting bright orange sleeveless dresses and swinging capes with large zips at the front.
"I'm inspired by a woman who is the opposite of drama, a woman who is effortless and uncontrived," said the designer of the label owned by Swiss-based luxury goods maker Richemont.
Front row guests, including pop singer Kylie Minogue, watched as Andersson, who used to work for Italian fashion company Marni, brought out a gray suit with shimmering silver lapels and a short-sleeved fur coat.
"I thought it was confident and smart," said Sally Singer, fashion news director at Vogue. "He was trying to reposition the Chloe girl from being bohemian to something 'bohemian punk'. I think that's a smart move on."
