GivenchyHomme
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Sarah Burton's McQueen show was the ticket of the season. Would she do justice to her mentor's extraordinary legacy? Could she demonstrate her own point of view? Yes and yes. With its tail coats, bum-sters, and molded butterfly-wing dresses, this collection was unmistakably McQueen, but softer, warmer, and ultimately, perhaps, friendlier to retailers. And the craftsmanship would have stood out even without the backstory. By the end, half the crowd was tearing up, and the other was on its feet cheering a daunting job very well done.
Don't underestimate the power of spectacle in fashion. Karl Lagerfeld doesn't. Three fountains, an 80-piece orchestra, a tot in bouclé tweed—for feel-great moments, nothing came close to this Grand Palais epic. But it wasn't all pomp and circumstance. Lagerfeld reconsidered Coco's codes for today, turning out skirtsuits riddled with holes and distressing the edges of perfectly pretty frocks for a couture-come-undone feel. That is, until he got to the glorious eveningwear, which was plenty haute—just the way his front-row pal Keira Knightley likes it.
Kane was fresh out of school when he ushered in the short-and-sexy look that's dominated fashion for the last three years, but he's moved on for Spring. Channeling "Princess Margaret on acid," he put twinsets and below-the-knee skirts on the runway—only those sweaters came in yakuza tattoo prints, and the skirts in neon laminated leather lace. Strange? You bet. But strangely alluring, too—especially when viewed up close. What's so seductive about Kane is how singular his vision is, and how deeply he believes in it.
Why do all the A-listers and party girls love Peter Dundas? It's a no-brainer, really: Nobody, but nobody does sexy like he does these days. Leave the tortured-designer pose to others: With his own vacation house in the Cyclades as a starting point, Dundas built a sultry, summery collection of slit-up-to-there gowns, whipstitched leather flares, and tie-dyed tees, not to mention the hottest lace-up boots of the season. Emilio Pucci built his brand on jet-set Capri, but Greece is the word for Spring.
It used to be that every show ended with gowns, but designers' interest in black-tie dressing has shrunk along with the economy. That's partially why Haider Ackermann's show was such a revelation: finally, a modern—and unflinchingly daring—way to do evening. There will be no going unnoticed in this crimson silk bustier with its trailing scarf and slouched-on black pants. The Ackermann faithful, meanwhile, were no doubt pleased to see his signature black leather twisted and tailored into some of the most covetable jackets around.
Incandescent color. The new, ankle-grazing length. Raf Simons distilled Milan's key trends, while simultaneously producing a collection that rated that overused term: directional. The trick was in the way Simons used the bold volumes of haute couture but grounded them in reality (the major ball skirts paired with simple white tees, the sporty parka over a floral-print infanta dress). It was as thrillingly maximal as a minimalist can get.
Alber Elbaz may be more concerned than most designers with addressing women's needs, but that doesn't explain how he is able to turn something objectively simple into another thing that's utterly, irresistibly chic. This season, he worked his magic via breezy, leg-baring pleated skirts with leotard-tight tops, acid-bright pops of color, and tropical silk print sari dresses and pajama pants accented with butterfly brooches. And don't forget those gorgeous, easy-on-the-feet flat sandals—ah, yes, women's needs.
The "explainers" were out of a job this season. There were few esoteric references for the self-appointed sages to dissect for the rest of us. Instead, this was an unapologetic embrace of the seventies, and even after a month of shows—many of them exploring the same era—the feel-good vibe of those orchid chokers and glittering platform sandals still sticks in the memory. If you're looking for something to wear nightclubbing next spring, Jacobs is your man.
If any collection signaled the end of minimalism's brief reign, it was Prada, where electric colors mingled with monkey and banana prints and Josephine Baker-esque embroideries. But along with that much-needed dose of fun, there was plenty here to wear. Those summery spaghetti-strap frocks near the end were cut from sturdy black cotton.
It seems to take eons for up-and-comers to shed the "young designer" label, but Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough officially did just that with their most sophisticated collection to date. Yes, there were Chanel-like tweed jackets, but this wasn't a ladylike outing, per se. What it was, among other things, was an embrace of craft, from the shibori-technique pastel skirts to the neon guipure lace slipdresses. Call it solid proof that hard work pays dividends.
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at half of their list, I think a lot of these were in tFSers top shows. Nice to see Haider Ackermann on there!
You MUST be kidding me!! 
