PFW AW15 Day 2

I wore: kate spade ny top & skirt, Alice + Olivia coat, Coach mules, Kirk Originals glasses & Bvulgari bag
Image by Sarah Jane Barnes

I can’t believe that only a week ago I was trotting around the City of Light in my impractical footwear for PFW AW15! It seems like a lifetime ago, yet it clearly wasn’t as I’m still utterly exhausted and struggling to get everything back together and resume some sort of normality. But then, c’est la vie. The whole month was wonderful and Paris the picturesque icing on the glorious cake. So let’s talk about day number two. First up, Mugler…

Mugler AW15

Mugler is not, and has never been, a brand for the faint of hard or flabby of physique. Nor, obviously, for the limited of funds but that particular requirement applies to everything on the Paris catwalks, let’s be honest. Looking at David Koma’s collections for the iconic house of Mugler, he was undoubtedly the best and perhaps only candidate to take up the mantle of Creative Director. The Mugler woman is and has always been strong, sexy and utterly self assured. Koma has absorbed the ways in which Thierry conveyed these traits during the labels’ 80s heyday but reworked and updated the aesthetic to appeal to a 21st century audience. The results? Sleek, hyper tailored looks that flash acres of thigh and ooze luxury. This season Koma seemed to really come into his own, combining form fitting monochrome dresses with glossy separates and sharp shouldered tailoring. Detail was kept to a relative minimum; largely taking the form of perfectly positioned circular cut outs; meaning that when it did appear as gleaming metallic panelling on mini skirts or all over ink black beading on the floor sweeping finale dresses, those bursts of high shine had all the more impact.

Mugler AW15

The sun was shining and the mercury rising that day in Paris so I trotted out of the Grand Palais with a smile on my face and up Rue Saint Honore to pay a visit to the Alessandra Rich showroom. I’m not going to go through all my showroom appointments as I did SO many but I’ll tell you now that those I did on day 2 (Rich plus Christopher Kane, Roger Vivier, Delvaux, Aquazzura and Rebecca Minkoff) were brilliant. As much as I love a catwalk show, sometimes it’s really great to be able to see and touch the pieces close up, not to mention meet some of the people behind their creation and production. But back to the shows. After a couple of hours rendez vous-ing around doing appointments, I was off to the Tuileries for Elie Saab.

Elie Saab AW15

The venue had been transformed into a nighttime forest full of silver trees which, under the lights, seemed almost to glow. After the guaranteed half hour wait, Karlie Kloss hit the catwalk with her trademark walk, clad in a slick all black ensemble that set the tone for the show. Certainly, things were tougher this season than for SS15, the happy-go-lucky haute surfer muse of Spring replaced by a vampier creature, more suited to an urban environment. There was more than a hint of military influence about the collection; immaculately tailored black wool adorned with gold buttons, knee high boots and thigh skimming hemlines smartly cut in shades of khaki; but it never felt overwhelming. Saab simply riffed off the idea of leaves to concoct an array of beautiful, feminine and phenomenally luxurious pieces that he knows his clients will want. Between the rich, glossy furs and the model’s equally glossy, rich girl hair, it was unapologetically moneyed and I mean that as a compliment. Glitter strewn caped dresses styled with black leather gloves and gobstopper glittering jewellery will provide the perfect attire for Saab shoppers to wear to the formal galas you just know they attend, while the lavish outerwear and leather tailoring will give them something chic to wear in their everyday lives which, presumably, don’t involve public transport. Sleek, sexy, polished and poised, all in all an excellent show from Elie Saab.

Elie Saab AW15

The rest of my afternoon was spent doing appointments, the final of which turned into rosé and gossip at an adorable brasserie in Bastille. Then, after a quick pitstop at a cocktail party, it was time to head to the Champs Elysees for my final show of PFW AW15 day 2, Olympia Le Tan.

Olympia Le Tan AW15

I find it hard to imagine how anyone could not enjoy an Olympia Le Tan show. The whole thing is just such fun. Besides those amazing book clutches that everyone wants, Le Tan also has a knack for creating playful, joyous and unique ready-to-wear, both of which she presents in a wonderfully camp, highly themed mise-en-scène. This season the designer looked to the incredible costumes of the Ballet Russes. Think blouson blouses with leg of mutton sleeves; ballerina frocks of sheer tulle, harlequin patters and velvet dresses embellished to resemble curtains opening, styled with feather crowns and custom made Louboutins. Oh, and of course, Olympia Le Tan’s trademark clutch bags.

Olympia Le Tan AW15

Until tomorrow, mes amies…

Love Ella. X