Paris Fashion Week has come to an end and it's time for us to say our goodbyes to Spring 2015 and face the music. It's actually almost winter. If this brings you down, just remember that you can always go on YouTube and take a revised look at your favourite shows to reminisce. Let's face it, Paris is always worth looking at more than once. At Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent Paris, we were brought back to the MOD era with mini skirts and bold metallics. At Chanel, we experienced another spectacular show with a message that transported us to the hippie 70s. Elie Saab and Giambattista Valli brought us that femininity we all know and love that resonates with their brands, while Balmain kept it edgy to satisfy our darker side. Each collection brought back its own unique personality with a new twist. Many of the collections were familiar, yet refreshing to our saturated fashion minds. As per tradition, I shall analyze and observe the five collections I loved the most.
Here they are:
SAINT LAURENT
Saint Laurent is my favourite collection because it always projects this rock n' roll meets school girl vibe that resonates with me. From the enchanting music to the swivelling colours, the show was mesmerizing on so many levels. Hedi Slimane used fabrics suitable to an Haute Couture show on simple outfits you'd see every day. That's the sign of a true master. From the sequins to the glitter, it could've been a hot mess, but it was anything but. It was all about that rebel who couldn't give a damn whether or not she looks put together, but that's exactly her charm. My two favourite elements of this show? The classic black Saint Laurent hats and those platform wedges (Oh. Em. Gee). Based on Hedi Slimane and Tom Ford, the platforms are about to get even higher, so get ready. Hedi's use of leather and suede created an edgy vibe along with the glamorous use of furs and leopard print. His ability to mix prints blew my mind as everything came together in one unique composition. He took us to the 70s with androgynous pinstriped pants and micro-minis. It was all so glamorous with that Parisian "I don't care" attitude that makes it the best fashion city on the globe. Ooh La La.
FAVOURITE LOOK: 44
The mix of prints from the neck scarf to the blazer had me contemplating never matching again. Who needs to match when you can mix and match? But to be completely honest, I just really loved this leather skirt and that made the whole outfit perfect in my eyes.
VALENTINO
Every season, the Valentino collections takes us through a fashion timeline and we get to travel to an era were decadence was everything. Don't you wish that reflected real life? There were many bold prints at Valentino along with some classier monochrome outfits in lighter shades. Some lovely white lace dresses followed in flowy cuts that looked beyond comfortable and adaptable to a modern lifestyle. The shoes were a particularly interesting aspect of the show that brought us to ancient Greece, reminding us all that we are goddesses (especially in Valentino). Rather than displaying an array of floor-length dresses, Valentino brought us some more minis this year, which seems to be a trend amongst designers. Some side-boob made the cut, preparing us to see some more of it in the coming year on our favourite celebrities, but the overall collection remained tasteful and divine. There was such a kaleidoscope of colour throughout the show that played with the eye and couldn't be anything but beautiful. It was Valentino with a modern twist.
FAVOURITE LOOK: 26
Though I am not usually a fan of such a busy print, I loved that the designers weren't afraid to add a pop of colour to an outfit swallowed in prints. They took a risk and it worked beautifully.
MAXIME SIMOENS
The first thing that sold me during this show was that first crop top that said #colourful is the new black. Not only did it use the modern hashtag, but it also resonated with me because it used one of my favourite fashion cliches with a message I fully support. The collection defined sport luxe with stripes as the reigning print on short sets and shift dresses. Some more feminine looks were also present, particularly a bold flared orange dress and a colourful skirt that went with the theme. There was a sleeveless long blue vest, I wish I could purchase right off the bat because it happens to be in my favourite colour and super freaking cool. The looks were wearable and sophisticated with a message: you don't have to wear black to be chic. As a big fan of the shift dress, there were definitely a bunch I'd love to own. Overall, I'd say it was a great success.
FAVOURITE LOOK: 18
I loved this particular look for reasons stated above. Blue is my favourite colour and a girl who wears a cape obviously owns the room.
ELIE SAAB
Though Elie Saab sticks to that same sophisticated and feminine look every season, it remains a favourite of mine. I always know I'm going to want every piece in the collection. This season, some more colourful pieces added some flavour to the collection in bold prints on high-low flowy dresses and some shifts. For those who like a more monochromatic look, there were some amazing jumpsuits in pastel shades and black with lace detailing and draping fabric. The block clutches were particularly notable and a major selling point for the collection. Lace was still the fabric of choice, but it was explored in new ways that helped Elie Saab renew its image. As usual, there are many looks I'd love to see on the Red Carpet, one of which was a beautiful printed dress with a deep v. Some of the ombre numbers with high slits were also stunning Red Carpet options. Evidently, I always think of Elie Saab in terms of Red Carpet because that's what he does best and this season, he definitely delivered.
FAVOURITE LOOK: 35
This look was my favourite because there was something sporty about it, but yet, it still radiated femininity. Any look that can juxtapose the two is a winner in my book.
CHANEL
What is a runway? According to Karl Lagerfeld, it is a flexible term that he redefines season after season. Last spring, it was your local supermarket, and this year, it was the revolutionary streets in Paris. Rather than having models strut down the runway in a traditional one-by-one linear formation, they walked as a unified whole as they presented each selection of looks. The show began with some androgynous pinstriped suits in the classic Chanel tweed. Bits of colour were incorporated on blouses that brought us back to the hippie era where colour reigned supreme. Though Karl maintained the Chanel image with the tweed looks, he still added his own flavour with his integration of colour, a selection of military looks, and some very interesting clutches with the Chanel logo hanging on a chain. Some pieces felt like couture with their intricate beading and yet, I felt like this fit smoothly into a ready-to-wear collection due to that classic structural appeal a la Coco. Some beautiful metallics were also a major part of this collection, particularly in terms of accessories It was one of the most wearable collections, but still maintained that originality that defines Karl. It was everything we hoped for and more, including a few loudspeakers and some banners.
FAVOURITE LOOK:49
I loved this particular looked because it felt very Coco Chanel with that Karl attitude that I can't get enough of. The jacket was one of my favourite pieces in the show and don't even get me started on the loafers.
All images via Style.com.
So farewell Paris Fashion Week. What was your favourite collections?
Ponder it,
XOXO,
Bella
