The New Beige: Chloe

If there’s one piece of clothing that sums up everything that’s new and desirable this season what would it be for you? No hesitations: It’s Hannah MacGibbon’s long , crossover camel coat  which opened the show for Chloé on Tuesday. MacGibbon  streamed beige  (taupe, camel, and all the variations) throughout  the show which included such long, lost wardrobe friends as turtleneck sweaters, high rise, wide legged trousers, double-breasted coats, scoop-necked smocks  and even bow blouses.  Okay, I will take a rain check on the bow blouse and the smock, but that coat!  There is a new, minimalist/realist school of thought in fashion right now and interestingly it’s three English women: MacGibbon, Phoebe Philo (MacGibbon’s former Creative Director at Chloé) and Stella McCartney (who was once Creative Director of Chloé assisted by Philo). It’s been a long time since fashion in Paris has had a strong group of women take the lead. All of them are set to enter their 40s in the next few years; Philo and McCartney have young children and understand that combining work with raising a family is an ongoing negotiation. All of them love London and two of them (Philo and McCartney) have managed to establish their ateliers there while continuing to show in Paris. This is a different kind of London too. It’s more tweedy than kinky; old school less is more and made to last.