PFW SS15: Day 3

I wore kate spade new york coat, dress & bag with Karen Walker glasses and Coach shoes
Image by David Naynzi

I won’t lie to you mes amies, PFW SS15 day 3 got off to a slightly painful start. Having spent the previous night enjoying a long, wine fuelled dinner with friends at Le Belle Époque, followed by a bit of an after party at someone’s apartment, I awoke feeling rather worse for wear. Add to that the stress of having to rearrange all my morning’s appointments in order out my accommodation arrangements (long, boring, irritating story) and it wasn’t surprising that I was in a pretty bad mood by the time I arrived at the Grand Palais. Then I looked around at my magnificent surroundings, down at my Mugler show ticket and decided to pull myself together. I was at Paris Fashion Week for God’s sake and, as far as I’m aware, a little hangover never killed anybody. Plus there was the added excitement of this being recently appointed Creative Director, David Koma’s first runway show for Mugler…

I know full well I’ve said this before, probably several times, but one of the most wonderful things I’ve experienced during my blogging years so far is watching the careers of certain young designers skyrocket. There are countless créatifs I once-upon-a-time read about in fashion magazines and then blogged about from my bedroom, describing them as “new names” or “up and coming”, who have since gone on to become major players on the international fashion scene. I’ve been lucky enough to get to know a fair few of them and ever since I nervously introduced myself to (read: shamelessly fangirled) David Koma at my very first London Fashion Week I’ve always thought he was every bit as charming as he is talented. When I heard that David landed the Mugler job I couldn’t have been happier for him, or thought of a designer better suited to the role. Indeed, Koma did not disappoint offering up a 2015 incarnation of the powerful, seductress aesthetic that saw Thierry Mugler himself soar to fame in the 1980s. Think second skin silhouettes, razor sharp cuts and flesh flashing a’ plenty with shimmering silver trims adding a luxe touch to keyhole cut outs. Admittedly in some cases the unapologetic sex factor wasn’t the subtlest and I wondered what kind of customer would be snapping up a half sheer blouse that left one breast entirely exposed. But then, this was a catwalk show after all, and Koma’s first opportunity to demonstrate his take on the iconic Mugler aesthetic. The collection was sleek, immaculately crafted and clear in it’s message and aesthetic. It’ll be a bold and body confident woman who buys these pieces but given that Julia Reston Roitfeld and Virginie Coutin Clarins both rocked dresses from the show the following evening, I suspect modern Mugler muses will come flocking.

Mugler SS15

I exited the Grand Palais into the blazing sunshine and the violent reappearance of my hangover. Not the chicest thing to bang on about I know and I fully had no one to blame but myself (and possibly the naughty so and so’s who suggested a the previous evening’s soirée) but such is often the reality of fashion week, at least when you sometimes have about as much self control as a teenage boy on his first unsupervised trip to Magaluf. Headache aside, I wasn’t exactly about to sack off my appointments and head home for a kip so after a quick trip to the Altuzarra showroom (OBSESSED with the collection) I hopped on the Metro to see Alexander Lewis.

Aquazzura SS15

Alexander Lewis is definitely one of my favourite designers right now. In a few short season’s his stunning collections and enviable business acumen have put him firmly on the fashion map. SS15 brings Lewis’ first full main season collection (as you may recall, he cannily launched with pre collections) and I couldn’t wait to get a look at it. Something I particularly love about Alexander Lewis’ work is how he collaborates with different contemporary artists to produce truly unique pieces with a real depth to them. This time around Lewis teamed up with English artist Celia Hampton to build on his Resort ’15 inspiration, Palm Spring. The results were an exquisitely textured array of pieces in shimmering, custom created jacquards, playful metallic leathers, fluid silks and slouchy knits. In a delectable palette of pastels, burnished hues and colour pop colour block shades it was a visual feast that I could totally imagine wearing all day and dancing all night in, should I ever get the chance.

Alexander Lewis SS15

The penultimate appointment on my day 3 agenda was with jewellery designer, Eddie Borgo. Eddie’s contemporary take on luxury jewellery has made him a firm favourite among the world’s most stylish women and after being talked through his SS15 collection by the charming designer himself, I have more respect for him and his work than ever. An exploration of desert architecture inspired Borgo this season and, as I soon learned, to call his research thorough would be a colossal understatement. The designer considered the juxtaposition of contemporary and traditional structures placed in such environments, using the colour palettes and silhouettes he saw to concoct pieces that were all at once luxurious, covetable and innovative. I’m generally one for daintier, girlier jewels but these were so utterly beautiful that I couldn’t help but daydream of owning them the entire journey home.

Eddie Borgo SS15

Ok, you know what I said about “not heading home for a kip” regardless of how rancid I felt? Well, that was not entirely true. After my Eddie Borgo appointment I decided that a couple of hour’s sleep were essential if I was going to make it through the evening. And with the last ever Jean Paul Gaultier ready to wear show on my schedule, I wasn’t taking any risks missing that one! Gaultier is undoubtedly one of the most iconic, influential and beloved designers of the 20th and 21st century. From his hilarious Eurotrash days to the boundry pushing creations etched on our collective pop cultural consciousness, I think it’s fair to say that the man’s a genius. His SS15 show was without a doubt one of the most brilliant, uplifting, joyful things I’ve had the privilege of seeing, ever. The crowds outside the Rex theatre – Gaultier’s venue – were thousands deep with half of Paris turning up with their iPhones at the ready, to snap the A list attendees. Not surprising really since everyone from Catherine Deneuve to Alber Elbaz and (obviously) the Kardashian klan were in attendance. Once I’d made it through the fray the atmosphere inside was no less electric. After grabbing a glass of champagne and bucket of popcorn I settled into the plushy, cushioned seats ready for something special but high though my expectations were, I couldn’t have predicted the show that ensued.

Jean Paul Gaultier SS15

Everyone began clapping along when the music struck up and models clad in Jean Paul’s trademark Breton stripes and patent white booties broke into a perfectly choreographed danced routine. In case the sash invitations hadn’t given it away, we soon learned that the show would be staged as a beauty pageant and Alex Taylor took to the stage and welcomed us to the “election of Miss Jean Paul Gaultier”. The next forty five minutes felt like a fabulous dream involving stripping burlesque madams, cyclists, Gaultier’s charmingly cartoonish, camp homage to France, footballers wives, battling super heroes, grande dames and models dressed up to resemble iconic fashion editrixes. It was cheeky, provocative and frankly absolute genius. After Coco Rocha was crowned Queen and pretended to faint, gold confetti rained from the ceiling and everyone started dancing. Jean Paul Gaultier may be quitting ready to wear but ever the renegade, he’s done so in his own inimitably flamboyant way and with one hell of a bang. This was fashion history being made and I feel so incredibly lucky to have been there to witness it. Whatever you’re meant to be doing now, stop it at once and watch this video…

Love Ella. X