Could it be a desire to preserve fashion as a separate bubble, far from distressing reality? Joie de vivre and a festive spirit were the order of the day on the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week, which runs until October 3.
"I'm a maximalist designer, I love colors and prints, I want to make people happy. We all need it, I think," explained Olivier Rousteing at Balmain, still smiling despite his recent setback – the brand had a truck carrying some of the collection's pieces held up on September 16. The show must go on, with an ode to roses, a print found in the archives and reinterpreted in a thousand ways – bouquets emerging from bags, applied to short, draped dresses, on a spectacular coat or on the hips of slips. What didn't we see in this collection, because of the robbery? "Tuxedos, denim and jersey pieces," which ultimately did nothing to detract from this festive evening wardrobe.
It's a different kind of party that Acne Studios is celebrating, 2000s rave-style, with a giant, broken disco ball at the end of the catwalk. "This season's industrial vibe comes mainly from my passion for denim and the many ways we can manipulate this extraordinary fabric," commented creative director Jonny Johansson. Here, it's effectively covered in white clay-like paint, worn as hip-low pants or a ripped miniskirt. Long dresses in blue, red or green are draped and floaty, or embroidered with sequins. Bras were hastily slipped over cropped tank tops as if the night had been too short, but joyful.
Julien Dossena's Rabanne collection is richly adorned in silver and gold. The secret weapon of the designer, helming his twentieth fashion show for the house, lies in the metallic mesh dear to the founder. "It's like finding an old friend and having fun with them – the possibilities are endless. For some, it evokes a medieval dimension. For others, it's made for parties. In any case, it's a fascinating material to work with."
Here, inspiration leans towards a desert community, with harem pants that offer great freedom, short or draped dresses, pants covered with sequins or in an ultra-light wool and silk blend. The ensemble works, as it makes you want to join this community for a summer.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.