A Touch of the Poet
Olivier Theyskens brings modern romance to Nina Ricci
January 16, 2007 – The Rochas ready-to-wear collection was unceremoniously shuttered last summer, but its 30-year-old Belgian designer, Olivier Theyskens, wasted no time landing another high-profile gig and scoring a major red-carpet coup. The morning after dressing a ravishing Reese Witherspoon at the Golden Globes, the new artistic director at Nina Ricci debuted his pre-fall collection in New York. Afterward, he sat down with Style.com's Nicole Phelps to discuss bias cuts, denim,
la vie Ricci, and the benefits of not looking back.
Congratulations on Reese Witherspoon's Golden Globes dress. How did it come about?
We met, and Reese fell in love with the fabric and the color. I wanted to create something especially for her. I like her complexion and her hair color; it matches the color of the dress. Reese loves simplicity—she's a really modern girl. She's a Nina Ricci girl.
Who is the Nina Ricci girl?
I'm very inspired by cool girls who mix the ladylike looks we've seen for the last couple of years with some messy touches. There's still a sense of Parisian refinement, but it's more modern, more loose, more cool. It's younger, too.
What's the difference between the Rochas girl and the Nina Ricci girl?
I never think about the difference. I only think about Ricci now. For example, I've become really attached to the L'Air du Temps bottle.
I saw you showing it off earlier. How does the bottle's design play out in the collection?
Many of the clothes have twisting lines. I'm working with fake bias; it's between a bias and a straight cut. It makes the clothes twist around the body in a new way, and it helps me work with asymmetry. I'm less into a very square silhouette and more into a very free, very moving shape.
Why the bright yellows and grays?
There's a contrast in Nina Ricci between this idea of peace and freedom and beauty and a sense of urbanism and the city. I wanted to make these grayish, boyish looks for day, and more colorful, appealing pieces for evening in Ricci yellow. It's the exact yellow that's been used for the packaging of L'Air du Temps since the beginning.
What about fur?
I like gray fox; it's really fresh. And I'm thinking about fur a lot, because it's so hot. I'm really wondering—as it gets warmer, will fur continue? There are flowers right now on the trees in Paris.
Are people in Paris as concerned about global warming as some are in the U.S.?
Everybody's really focused on it. These two years, we've seen it getting warmer. I'm personally extremely concerned about climate and ecology and what as humans we're doing to the environment. I think about it every day.
Speaking of heat, the Oscars are coming up. Is there anyone you'd like to dress?
I won't say.
How is this pre-fall line different from what you'll show in Paris in March?
I'm in the process of designing that still, so I can't say for sure.
Why did you do jeans?
I really wanted to work with denim for Ricci. I've been suffering a little bit from my focus on ladylike looks. Here, I really think denim fits, and I like to work with the details. The stitches on the back pockets and the design on the rivets are inspired by the waves in the perfume bottle. It's an opportunity to figure out what the Ricci elements will be.
What are the Ricci elements?
It's a mix of fragility with sharp cuts.
What are your goals at Nina Ricci?
For me, it's all about pleasing the girls, the cool girls. I really want this to be successful, and also to make something that moves fashion forward. There's not enough focus in life on beauty and aesthetics. It's really positive to be focused on that.
