Paris Day 5: Lindsay Hearts Ungaro, and More
By
October 5, 2009
The day belongs to Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, whose optical concoction of a collection took more twists and turns than a casbah spy to break new style ground. Tisci began with minimalist, black and white jackets, harem pants, and rounded jumpsuits before he segued into ruffles, sometimes piled over a simple tank T-shirt. By then, it was clear that he favors a high waisted line for tunics over leggings. And the shoes! Those wrapped foot platforms with a zip up the back are the sexiest. Tisci pursued all over kaleidoscopic swirling checks for jackets, tunics and leggings, before heading for filmy silk togas with sequinned flowers encrusted at the shoulders and ending with angelic lace. (LEFT: GIVENCHY, LOOK 5)
“We’re all wrapped up in love,” cooed throaty-voiced Catherine Deneuve on the soundtrack for Dries Van Noten, an ethnic print spectacle staged in a bombed out bank near the Ritz. Van Noten, who handles pattern like no one else, was in top form with this collection, a world tour of looks, including shimmering, color-drenched batiks to ikats, kimono patterns, and sari motifs–often three at a time. These appeared in the form of padded jackets, menswear trench coats, easy trousers, pareo-like shifts, and wrapped skirts with pieces left hanging to sweep the floor like a train. The result, combined with thick jewelled ropes of pearls, was pure chic without a hint of artifice.
Karl lagerfeld, Look 8; Sonia Rykiel, Look 14
Chic, sleek and neat. Despite an invitation featuring a stencil of a Karl Lagerfeld strumming a guitar, there was nothing rock ‘n roll about his spring show. In a season in which designers are sticking to one clear message, Lagerfeld had his down pat: elegant urban basics for walking around in broad daylight (all of which were shown with wide-cuffed shorts). Cinched waists and cocoon coats with elliptical hems put a couture spin on this collection, though it ended with a chorus girl turn in playsuits and ruffled pinafores.
If you hadn’t heard that Lindsay Lohan was debuting as artistic adviser for Emanuel Ungaro this season, you might have thought there had been some kind of second tier skeleton team doing the job at the last minute. Indeed, Lohan and her partner in crime, Spanish designer Estrella Archs, had very little time to prepare this collection. Was the whole thing made in Lycra? Was that a butt cheek slipping out from under a tunic dress? Sequin hearts all over the place. Oh my! (LEFT: UNGARO, LOOK 38)
Sonia Rykiel held her show at her blvd Saint Germain store, just as Paris designers used to do years ago. When the models danced down the narrow aisles, they looked larger than life. Padded satin jackets, cardigan suits, bright Lurex stripes on black, pinafores, and transparent lace reprised the Rykiel classics for modern disco babes.
