Paris fashion week w.

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From Dior’s modern dance performance and Maison Margiela’s gender-fluid show to the beach set at Chanel, the Observer’s fashion editors Jo Jones and Helen Seamons pick the highlights from the collections.

Jo Jones & Helen Seamons

Wed 3 Oct 2018 12.05 BS

      

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  MAISON MARGIELA

• Everything about John Galliano heading up Maison Margiela feels right. The collection was gender fluid, with a new level of co-ed, cutting clothes to work on both the male and female form, opening with a herringbone skirt cape (a skirt in theory but cut to sit as a cape). Galliano deconstructs and reconstructs the garments – for example, a gold brocade dress’s silhouette mirrored a classic men’s jacket while another fused two slip dresses together. Garments appeared as works-in-progress with stitch detailing on tailored jackets and dresses seen at the early stages of construction. This was a wondrous collection of design and workmanship.

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• GUCCI

  It is not easy to follow Alessandro Michele’s thought process. Post-show, Michele talked about his aesthetic: 70’s underground experimental theatre, texture and colour, his interest in the bourgeoisie wardrobe. The setting was the Le Palace theatre, which is a theatre but was also once a famous nightclub, chosen over the grandeur of the Louvre. Describing the first girl to exit as Janice Joplin with the hat, Michele also invited the french singer, poet and actress Jane Birkin to perform. There was a multitude of sparkle, fringe, ostrich-feathers, 80’s ruffle dresses, 70’s tailored flared suits and accessories aplenty to keep the Gucci fans in seventh heaven. A Mickey Mouse handbag was not to be missed.

  Photograph: Dan Lecca

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• DRIES VAN NOTEN

  Dries Van Noten’s thoughts were about a woman who likes to play with clothes, her attitude and how she stands and holds a bag. The result? Wearable and super desirable workwear mixed with the gesture of couture. Utilitarian to sumptuous, a white trouser suit was worn with a bright yellow faux feather top, next to bold diagonal stripes. A boiler suit was completely embellished in a couture way, tied around the waist to form a peplum, which created a new-look silhouette. Crystal-fringed epaulettes and yokes on coats and dresses appeared elegant and informal. Sustainable feathers ran throughout the collection, while faux plastic versions decorated accessories. The fresh, light touches came with draped skirts and dresses in a translucent, paper-thin nylon silk floral print.

  Photograph: Kim Weston Arnold

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• SAINT LAURENT

  Anthony Vaccarello has wanted to create different personalities and achieve individuality and eclecticism at Saint Laurent. Reflecting on the different decades, from the 60s and Yves Saint Laurent’s 70s timeless icons to the 80s, Vaccarello transformed a boyish silhouette – 60s-style tailoring in soft jersey, Le Smoking tuxedos and drummer-boy jackets - to exude a feminine confidence. There was an explosion of cool Parisian sexiness, by way of shorts and a whole lot of leg, with an abundance of mini dresses in velvet, floral and gold lamè. Cleverly, Vaccarello created looks that consisted of several pieces, allowing loyal clients the freedom to buy into a complete look or simple invest in an exquisitely tailored jacket.

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• ISABEL MARANT

  The energy was electric and the front row aglow with tanned legs and micro mini dresses worn with tan cowboy boots from Marant’s AW18 collection. SS19 unleashed a sea of models in shimmering tops worn with crystal and metal belts that cinched high-waisted shorts. It felt as if you were sitting at the entrance to an Ibiza nightclub. There were still signature Marant embroidered jackets and ruffle paisley print dresses. Watch this space for record sales with the Isabel Marant makeup collaboration with L’Oreal which launched at the same time to collection hit the catwalk.

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• CHLOE

  The Ibiza and Moroccan set will adore Natacha Ramsay-Levi’s latest collection at Chloé – it’s the only wardrobe they will need for SS19. The collection, called Hippie Modernism, merged silk scarf prints and textural Persian carpet motifs on jacquard print sarong skirts teamed with blouses, tunics and gilets and delightful one-shoulder asymmetric dresses, interspersed with earthy-toned plisse and laddered linen dresses. Notable was an ombré-effect trouser suit, dyed to resemble denim. Tightly rolled silk and rope belts created well-travelled bohemian touches. Giant statement earrings, pendants and arm cuffs are destined for the boho girls jewellery box.

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• LOEWE

  Craftsmanship and exquisite artisanal fabrics intercepted with swathes of opulent colour was Jonathan Anderson’s vision at Loewe. The silhouette opened with sleek lines, a cream dress with what appeared to be a long stripe scarf attached and framed by leather whipcord collars increasing as the show progressed to tent volumes. Tops with balloon sleeves gave way to ruched tops and fisherman sweaters. Noteworthy: the plaited Kite bag cascading with a leather fringe.

  Photograph: Kevin Tachman

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• HERMES

  A lesson in chic unfolded at Hermés. The Longchamp racecourse was transformed with a sand-covered catwalk (trend alert – see also Chanel’s beach) in front of a huge slating mirror angled to reflect the cloudy sky. It was the perfect backdrop for Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski’s minimal collection. Key pieces were a chestnut-hued leather pinafore skirt; a soft suede tunic with matching trousers; and a swimsuit trimmed in Hermés orange, worn as a top with shorts. An elegant bucket bag was the standout accessory.

  Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

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• JUNYA WATANABE

  Scheduling meant that Junya Watanabe’s apron dresses and midi-length tutu skirts arrived as a palate-cleanser after the previous evening’s Celine show, which was dominated by mini dresses. Models with neon Punk short wigs and dog-collar chokers stepped out in patchwork denim to a soundtrack of Queen. But the spirit was upbeat rather than anarchic. Fishtail dresses, deconstructed lingerie slips and ballerina skirts were key silhouettes.

  Photograph: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images

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• ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

  Sarah Burton explored the ‘journey of women and the journey of a woman’ from birth to death, ticking off rites of passage. It was a wardrobe steeped in meaning and tradition. The McQueen women are warriors and always have been, hailing from a world steeped in pagan ritual, with summer solstice floral embroideries mixed with medieval warrior tropes. The breastplate details are as much a code of the house as the Pagan plaits sported by all the models and the breathtaking embroideries.

  Photograph: WWD/Rex/Shutterstock

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 GUCCI 

It’s quite certain that when Guccio Gucci started out, he never dreamed that his small luggage company would grow to one carrying such cultural significance. But since Gucci was founded in Florence in 1921, the company has built a catalog of genuinely iconic trademarks. The interlocking GG logo; the bar-and-bit belt buckle; the bamboo-handle handbag; the omnipresent loafer—all of them have helped the brand penetrate mainstream culture like no other Italian label in history.

The groundwork for the c  the leadership of Guccio’s eldest son, Aldo. med the business into the accessories destinatio nd of the 1960s, everyone from Queen Eli  zabeth II to Elizabeth Taylor was a patron.  r-son tradition, Aldo’s son Paolo ushered in Gucci’s  next great era, in the late 1960s, with the intro  duction of clothing. By the early ’70s, the lean sil houettes, fur-lined coats, and shiny satin lap  els we think of today as Gucci hallmarks began to   appear.

The popularity of the bra  nd was both a blessing and a curse. By the early ’ e label’s identity. Meanwhile, vicious infighting led to the Gucci family ultimately losing c 

Paolo’s legacy became the m Ford decided to build his vision when he became creative director in 1994. The now infamo us Tom Ford look—what he later called “sexy, sensual, fuck-me clothes”—oozed power an d prestige and reminded customers viscerally of the company’s glory days. In short order , Gucci was a global player once again.

The French holding comp any now called Kering, which had owned a portio n of the label since 1999, took managerial control in 2004, to Ford’s extreme chagrin—and he  departed, leaving the brand with a very big pair of alligator loafers to fill. Ford had taken the co mpany from virtual bankruptcy to a value of $4.3 billion. Enter the relatively unassuming Fri da G        erseeing menswear, womenswear,    eign was   underling Alessandro Michele in turn  unes has been nothing short of staggering.