PFW SS15: Day 4

I wore Chloé blouse (click here to buy), skirt (click here to buy) & bag (click here to buy) with Isabel Marant shoes
Image by David Naynzi

Boring though it is to bang on about the weather, we were so so lucky with it for PFW SS15. Despite the fact that I know full well Paris has pretty much the exact same weather conditions as London (i.e totally unpredictable at all times and often rainy) I always assume it’s going to be gloriously sunny and warm there, and pack accordingly. This time my usually foolish assumption proved to be true and come day 4 I trotted out in the morning wearing now’t but a black flippy mini and the flimsiest Chloe blouse. I’d allowed extra time for my journey that day as show number one was Kenzo who, as you may remember, have a penchant for showing miles away from anywhere. People may moan but you can be damn sure everyone still goes. When I last attended the Kenzo show we were treated to an aquatic themed spectacle so I couldn’t wait to see what Humberto Leon and Carol Lim served up this time…

Kenzo SS15

I was hoping for the wow factor and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. This season the brand had taken over a skatepark with giant animated heads animated heads welcoming us and reminding us that there’s “no planet b, protect what’s precious” in every imaginable language, an indication of the designer’s ecological agenda this season. Aside from reminding us of our planet’s potentially perilous fate if we don’t work to combat climate change, the collection also reminded us of just why Kenzo is a brand so coveted by cool kids the world over. For SS15 Leon and Lim looked to Californian skater culture, the tradition of craftsmanship native to their Parisian atelier and their brand’s Japanese heritage. An eclectic mash up of influences indeed but if anyone could transform such a mêlée into pieces that marry wearability and commercial viability with design intriguing enough to pack a punch on the catwalk. Silhouettes came balanced between XXL and super svelte with oversized silhouettes concocted from chambray denim, laser cut broderie and palazzo pleats while sculpted neoprene, head to toe mesh and graphic printed organza keeping things contemporary and street-meet-surf inspired. While I was a little disappointed not to see actual pro skaters hit the ramps, the collection was bang on the money and I’m madly longing for one of the snazzy fit n’ flare dresses.

Kenzo SS15

As I mentioned, Kenzo is notorious for holding their shows in the back of beyond but this season’s venue may have looked remote but was in fact a mere three change metro ride from the Marais. Pretty annoying in retrospect that I splurged on a hideously expensive taxi but, as my Parisian friends would say, c’est la vie! Next on my agenda was an appointment chez Maje, a label I love love LOVE and own rather a lot of. Having totally lost all semblance of cool over their AW14 collection – on display at the rewardStyle cocktail ‘do a few nights earlier – I was excited to see what treats were in store for Spring. For SS15, Creative Director Judith Milgrom was inspired by the idea travelling through South America but the sartorial results couldn’t have been further from the tragic gap yah gear commonly associated with such a jaunt. From equestrian esque suedes and navajo blanket textiles referencing time spent in Argentina to Brazillian brights and embroidered whites and delicate cotton broderie conjuring images of Mexican nights, it was delectable, feminine and fun. Lots for the wish list there, mes amies. And unlike most fashion week fare, there’s a good chance we might be able to afford some of it!

Maje SS15

After scooping up a Starbucks (I try not to give into my usual coffee cravings in Paris but fail every time) I made a long but thoroughly enjoyable stroll over to Louvre Rivoli for a catch up with the lovely Editor of Grazia.it at the Westin Hotel. I then hung around to make the most of their free WiFi before suddenly realising the time and setting off in a panic for Place Vendôme. There was no way in HELL I was missing this appointment! After all, it’s not every day that you get invited to Valentino’s Paris HQ to choose a total look for the show. I reckon it’s quite a safe bet you’ve already seen the outfit I chose as I shoved it all over social media but I still can’t get over the fact I got to wear such beautiful clothes, or have the magical experience of being shown into a salon and given free reign to pick from rails upon rails of Valentino delights glimmering in the light of a vast chandelier. I could have revelled in the dreaminess of it all for hours but I had places to be and people to see etcetera.

I made the quickest of pitstops at my apartment before heading to the Grand Palais for Chloé. The Parisian harbinger of effortless, feminine chic is a brand I’ve loved for so long and attending their show once again in an unbelievably lovely total look was something I was supremely excited for.

Chloé SS15

The Grand Palais’ Galley Sud, majestic and an appropriately Chloé shade of duck egg blue, provided a deliciously serene setting for a collection I adored so much I can barely find the words to describe it. Although I didn’t know it at the time – one of her final wishes had been that her death wouldn’t detract from the show – Chloé’s founder, Gaby Aghion had very sadly passed away earlier that weekend. This collection was dedicated to her and I wholly believe did justice to Aghion’s legacy. Studying Fashion History and Theory at Central St Martins was definitely the best educational decision I’ve ever made (going to a traditional archaic boy’s boarding school for 6th form, less so) not least because it gave me the opportunity to really learn about the enormous significance of designers such as Gaby Aghion. When Chloé launched in 1952 it was the first ever high end ready to wear label and really paved the way for what most of us know as “fashion” today. By creating a genre of luxury that was accessible to a greater percentage of women than the supremely wealthy who could afford to buy haute couture, Aghion opened up high fashion to a whole new audience while liberating sartorially conscious females with garments that were both beautiful to look at and possible to actually do stuff while wearing. The house remains true to this ethos today and no collection could have embodied it better than what we saw on the catwalk for SS15. Opening with intricately cut, light as air broderie suspended by the most slender of spaghetti straps and paired with lace up suede gladiator sandals that exuded understated luxury. Then came tailored indigo denim, softest suede in delectable shades of mustard and powder blue, patterns crafted from cotton embellishment and billowing, ruched chiffon that reminded me of the Chloé number that first captured my 12 year old imagination and awakened my sartorial senses so many years ago. It was, quite simply, utterly beautiful. Luxury that whispers with goddess gowns of the of the throw on rather than need to be laced in nature. Unmistakably and utterly, totally lovely.

Chloé SS15

I left the Chloé show feeling very happy indeed, nothing like a collection you want ALL OF to put a spring in that step! Unfortunately I was then met by no-taxi-traffic-carnage hell (cheers, Paris), eventually managed to wangle a ride with the i-D Magazine team but still missed the Galliano show which I was pretty gutted about. After a conciliatory cocktail at the Lucy Folk x Julia Sarr Jamois launch it was back to the Grand Palais for my final show of the day, Akris. The thing about watching a show from a brand you know next to nothing about is that you don’t have any preconceptions about what you’ll see on the catwalk. I certainly didn’t expect the vision of minimalism that appeared. With ice white tailoring, razor sharp cuts, minimal embellishment and visors shielding the models eyes in a slightly sinister fashion, it was clean almost to the point of starkness. That’s not, however, to say there weren’t interesting things going on. Bursts of highlighter hues spiced up the show and when you paid attention to the textures it quickly became apparent that there was real luxury there with light brocades alongside supple leathers, neoprene and light as air chiffon creating a powerful juxtaposition between rigid structure and fluid drapery. The sheer t-shirts, lattice cut and white cracked effect leather pieces were pretty amazing, less so were the trousers with floaty overlays and cut out jersey tops. You can’t have missed that sheer is E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E for SS15 and here it came asymmetrically panelled across bias cut dresses, in the form of woven tees and mesh like tech fabrics. Striking on the catwalk for sure but I’ll be intrigued to see how, or indeed if, they’ll translate to real life.

Akris SS15

How Akris designer Albert Kriemler contrasted rigid structure with fluid drapery was interesting, if not to my personal tastes. The show could definitely have been edited a lot as there was a fair bit of different variations on the same style being repeated but I liked the styling – mannish brogues as opposed to the obvious, trainers – and was definitely glad I made it back to the Palais to see it.

Love Ella. X