5 things you need to know about Lanvin’s first show under new designer
On day 2 of Paris fashion week, there were runways from the likes of Vionnet, Rochas, Chinese designer Yang Li and Dries Van Noten, whose poetic collection saw models walking between floral bouquets encased in ice sculptures. But it was Lanvin, and new designer Bouchra Jarrar’s fashion week debut, that had tongues wagging and audiences thinking. Here’s what we took away:
1. Alber Elbaz is obviously a hard act to follow especially after 14 years at the brand. There were many fans mourning upon his departure, but his successor, the petite French designer Bouchra Jarrar, showed us all that there is a ray of hope in Paris’s oldest fashion house after all.
2. The sophisticated line up combined sensual pyjama dressing with languid, tailored suiting. There was definitely some classic Lanvin in there for old fans. Feminine sheers and laces, evening slip dresses, gorgeous drapes and glamorous feathers balanced out the strict black, white and ivory palette and masculine suiting.
3. So many supermodels returned to the runway for this debut, just showing how momentous a new designer at Lanvin really is. We were delighted seeing Karlie Kloss, Jourdan Dunn, Sasha Pivovarova, Liu Wen and Arizona Muse saunter by, one after the other.
4. Jarrar is a woman designing for fellow women, and you can tell this from the clothes. Although alluring and glamourous, there was also a sense of easiness and comfort in the flowing forms of outfits. It’s something we applaud and designers, both male and female, are paying more attention to this today.
5. Bring on the bling - Jarrar was not shy with sparkling, statement adornments on brooches, flat slippers, ankle chains and necklaces. But it wasn’t at all tacky, instead all pulled together in a rather cool, urbane way.
