New York has had its say about next spring (cool, artsy, neutral). Now the Continent speaks. From the Paris and Milan collections: crazy shoes, humongous bags, and the disappearing shoulder strap.
By
Harriet Mays Powell &
Amy Larocca
From left:
Hermès, Lanvin, Giambattista Valli,
Alexander McQueen,
Valentino (Photo credit: Firstview)
(1) Your Old Belt Will Seem Boring
Waist as focal point is not really new: We’ve been cinching and pinching for a few seasons now. The spring waist is encircled elaborately, with ornate belt plates (at Valentino) and updates on traditional Japanese obis at both Hermès and Lanvin. Giambattista Valli’s simple olive sash was a fresh take on the look, while Alexander McQueen kept it clean and monochromatic.
From left: Rochas,
Giorgio Armani,
Balenciaga,
Versace,
Bottega Veneta (Photo credit: Firstview)
(2) You’ll Love Your Pants—Finally
Recent seasons have seen nothing but dresses and skirts, and there were plenty of those for next spring too. But there were also scattered appearances of great trouser suits, in all sorts of shapes: full-legged and high-waisted at Armani and Bottega Veneta, softly washed at Rochas, and lean, mean, and rock-star ready at Balenciaga.
From left:
Missoni,
Marni,
MaxMara,
Etro,
Dries Van Noten (Photo credit: Firstview)
(3) You’ll Channel Yves Klein
And wear blue: electric blue, specifically. It’s more flattering than you’d think, not to mention surprisingly versatile. MaxMara showed it for evening, while Marni used the color to dress up day. It’s great on separates at Missoni, and the perfect coverall at Dries Van Noten.
From left:
Yves St. Laurent,
Dolce & Gabbana,
Fendi,
Prada,
Christian Dior (Photo credit: Firstview)
(4) You’ll Be a Great Big-Bag Lady
Forget little clutches and dainty purses, and buy a huger-than-life satchel to be worn tucked under the arm rather than thrown over the shoulder. Fendi’s shiny red version offered a notice-me option, while Dolce & Gabbana and Christian Dior both made an excellent case for braving white.
From left:
Chloé,
Jean Paul Gaultier,
Yves St. Laurent,
Chanel,
John Galliano (Photo credit: Firstview)
(5) You’ll Think in Black- and-White
No matter the muse— mod at Chanel, Gypsy at Gaultier—the palette stayed at its two favorite extremes. Black-and-white is a fail-safe way to dress this season. It looked perfectly polished at Chloé and elegant for evening at Yves Saint Laurent.
From left:
Yves St. Laurent,
Chloé, Lanvin,
Balenciaga,
Prada (Photo credit: Firstview)
(6) You’ll Be Looking at Your Feet (Again)
With so many pretty but serious clothes, it makes sense that shoes should be a shot of style adrenaline. Simple stilettos suddenly seem pedestrian in the face of the bold metallics at Yves Saint Laurent or Prada’s bamboo risers. The sexiest of the season is Lanvin’s fire-engine-red cone-heeled platform—it’ll never make it through airport security.
From left:
Balenciaga, Comme Des Garçons, Vivienne Westwood, Junya Watanabe,
Gucci (Photo credit: Firstview)
(7) If London Calls, You’ll Answer
Whether it’s Gucci’s neat white Beatles suit or something more subversive from Junya Watanabe, a decidedly British mood was in the air. Particularly groovy were Balenciaga’s skinny stovepipe trousers paired with a rock T-shirt. Vivienne Westwood evoked punk’s true spirit with knits that announced “I am not a terrorist.”
From left:
Chloé, Kenzo, Lanvin,
Louis Vuitton,
Yves St. Laurent (Photo credit: Firstview)
(8) You’ll Raid His Tie Rack
After a brief foray as a naughty pop-culture reference (banish the image of Britney Spears), the tie is back: sedate, tidy, grown-up. Whether your take is military (Vuitton, Chloé, and Lanvin), strictly academic, or more like Yves Saint Laurent’s toreador, you’ll be tying one on.
From left:
Chloé, Hussein Chalayan,
Yves St. Laurent,
Louis Vuitton, Martin Margiela (Photo credit: Firstview)
(9) You’ll Spin Round and Round
Even for spring—the most floral time of year—prints are all but dead. Decoration went graphic this season, with circles as the center. They circumnavigated a cocktail dress by Hussein Chalayan, and dangled and swayed at Louis Vuitton. They were elegant at Yves Saint Laurent, and laid-back on a sheer tunic at Chloé.
From left: Lanvin,
Giorgio Armani,
Valentino,
Chanel,
Gucci (Photo credit: Firstview)
(10) You’ll Bare a Shoulder
But just one. The best evening looks were long (Gucci) or short (Lanvin), but they all shared one sexy shoulder (the right, to be specific). Armani shrugged off his goddess white gown, while Valentino used the idea to update his signature red robe.
with the spring/summer collection !
