A lot happened in between, another season came (s/s07), and w/ new shows coming (couture s/s07 & menswear f/w07). I guess it's time for me to final analysis my faves of s/s 07 WRTW collections.
MIXED REVIEW
Initially reaction from international fashion press are not positive, as it's gonna be a tougher season to top the one just passed, both to retailers and customers. Andre Leon Tally of US Vogue openly snubbed how boring this season is, when Joyce Ma declared it's gonna be a difficult season to HK market. However, my thought is quite the opposite. s/s 07 is by far one of the most innovative spring that we haven't seen for ages.
HIGHLIGHT - Messiah leads still
A lot of my counterparts are really happy for Hussein Chalayan's work, both for his ideas and power to woo the crowd, believed that he's going to come back to fashion people's dry lips. No doubt, he did such a great work by offering wearable designs and futuristic "high-tech New Look" without being too wacky; whereas a lot of them wouldn't admit but are disappointed by Nicolas Ghesquiere's Balenciaga over-the-top sci-fi (sth he always channels to ever since he 1st started at the house). Nor was my initial reaction shocked or surprised, but gasped, I think he tried so hard to undo and outdo what he did last season, which is good, bcos no point of revisiting archieve season after season, this is a touch over the edge, maybe, but i like it still. Is there any objective admiration in it? maybe, but why not? Who doesn't worship Messiah?
MILAN
Thank God there's Prada again, she topped all others with such splendid collection, referenced YSL's 40s collection from the 70s and make it modern. People thought those satin hot shorts aren't practical, but hey, she's Prada, & she's always steps & seasons ahead, apart from bolder, rounder shoulder line, vibrant vivid colours and those turbans...Because Prada felt like, "I just wanted it to be about fashion," she shrugged backstage. "The importance of fashion." She laughed at one journalist's anxious questioning about the short pieces, saying, "I just didn't like anything I did below the waist."
One of the evening totally reminded me a YSL evening frock that was specially featured in the BBC programme broadcasted in early 90s. The dress was made with the collage work of black hand-made shiny flowers, one by one beaded by no one other than the house of Francois Lesage. These two dresses look very similar and of cos Prada managed to make it modern, and I mean modern...
After the big sis, there's MiuMiu, a brand that the company has been injecting ultra-high-speed-nutrition medicine in order to make her stand still and has her own striking identitty. MiuMiu was held at a private mansion at 34 Avenue Foch that dates to 1854 and is decorated in Louis XVI style. Like Prada shown earlier, it's a younger version of modernity, but unlike Prada's roundness (Italian?!), silhouette at MiuMiu is linear and straight for slender woman (ie Parisienne)... dun wanna define by country like this, but i just can't help it.
Other than these 2 collections, I have no comment to other shows in Milano, not even Gucci, sorry! You know what's worse than bad review? ~ NO REVIEW!
PARIS
Paris, Paris, Paris... a place I love so much that we should all call it 3 times everytime we say it. Apart from the outstanding Balenciaga and Hussein Chalayan as mentioned. There are 2 collections confuse me when I 1st glimpse, but giving a 2nd (or 3rd) time round, I change my mind completely. First, Chanel. I didn't like Chanel when I saw the pictures, I thought it was an easy collection for KL to make, an antidote after all the good thoughtful ones he made in 2006, however, I took a 2nd, 3rd, 4th look & so on, then I find this show's airiness, lightness, casualness, sportiness, capturing modernity with no reference, simply a master stroke, and it only happens in CHANEL. Some think the shorts're too ultra short, the platforms're too ultra high, but then let's imagine this show without these 2 key elements, then what a boring show it could have been. The show looks simple, but yet, every look has been put together from the jacket to pants, shirt, skirts, shorts, scarves, handbags, all the accessories in arms and the glitz! Simple if you like! Easy things have always been difficult to do, but Karl Lagerfeld won the hearts of multi-million women's heart once again, without turning them into a fem-bot.
Another show happened to be vice versa, due to, not least than my blind love to the name in the 1st place- Yves Saint Laurent rive gauche. Dunno why but Stefano Pilati has been disappointing last 2 seasons in a row, with all the gigantic bows, f/w 06 looks like YSL Variation, a second line that the master had in early 80s. When I 1st look at this s/s 07 rive gauche collection, i think it's a better show compare to f/w, it has more references which is important, pieces like peasant top and floral prints are utterly YSL from the 70s, and those Aladdin trousers? Loulou de la Falaise anyone? However, why don't you buy Loulou de la Falaise but an imitation then? Don't be silly.
Who I'd think highly of him anyway, no matter what he does? John, John Galliano. I think both his own and the one for Dior are sensational. Let's talk about the Dior show. Obviously, they tried to evolve from the New Look, and Bar jacket, shifting to a very new rigid silhouette, i was taken aback when looking at the 1st 10 "executive look", not so sure abt them, kinda new, maybe too new. Then, the oriental flower on obi, the white cocktail, the silver and glitz, then the black, finally, the goddess like long evening, I believe in John, and I believe he's done it again, it's a good Dior show and collection, full of beautiful clothes and gowns for ladies and working woman to conquer the world. On the other hand, I really like his own show a lot more than last season, offering somewhat look clean, pure and wearable daywear, then, you have intricate detailing without over-fuss, plus the bias, with a touch of Oriental channeling Japonaise, gold & white, glitzy floral, you knew John is on the right track again. He took the balance spot on by showing his power of tailoring full of fantasy.
Speaking of which, another show that made all people gasp is definitely Alexander McQueen's show, all people think he's not gonna do soemthing big and grand this time round, cos he did exactly that last season, and his formula tells us that he won't repeat, but it really is not about repeating, it's about his powerful genius ideas and fantasy and imagination with no border. He took evening as a solid base, revisiting the Edwardian and Victoria, not so much about capturing the best of his London days like last season, but really about contibruting ideas to his homeland's history. It's a great show, especially people are all impressed by the "flower" hourglass dresses. His love to extremely takes him to where he is and going beyond, this is an extremely beautiful show. Not only is McQueen a showman but he also is a greatest designer of our time.
Ann Demeulemeester a come back for sure. In the recent seasons, I somehow feel the longevity and power again from the Patti Smith fan, maybe because she's not mentioning Patti Smith as a muse anymore. I feel like her ideas are back, very rock & roll, yet luxurious & romantic, dark & goth, something difficult to describe with words, it's a feeling, a feeling that a designer reflects when they try. I think the Belgians are getting string again, you can fee it: MMM, Christian Wijnants, Dries van Noten, Kris van Assche, Olivier Theyskens, etc. They will have the power again like in the 90s. All these belges will strike again.
I think this season is not so much about revisiting certain period or trend, although we see the obvious reference to Thierry Mugler & Montana at Dolce & Gabbana, but they are not so much of a designer anyway. I think we are moving from the pristine Parisian chic to something more daring & provocative again. Quoting Prada, it'll be about fashion, we won't see non-design design with multi-digit price tag, we'll have "real design" with double-multi-digit price tag instead. It's a season that I think highly, and look forward to.
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