Bonjour, readers! Despite the midst of confusion during these uncertain times, we have finally made it to one of the biggest fashion capitols in the world (and my dearest love): Paris, France.
Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2021 took place from September 28th-October 6th with 84
brands showing off their collections. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a mixture of digital and physical presentations were displayed with masks and social distancing required. Fashion has always led Paris to play with their creativity and push the boundaries, but this year, designers really had to get innovative.
Kicking off the week with a radical yet religious showcase, Christian Dior opened with a cathedral inspired runway created by Lucia Marcucci, which included 8 light-box installations that reached seven meters in height. In an angelic chorus, 12 acapella female voices sang Corsican mourning hymns from the 19th-century. Maria Grazia Chiuri, the creative director at Dior, conveyed a depressing mood to emphasize what’s going on in the world right now. She wanted the audience to reflect on world issues by displaying windows with collages of paintings from artists, Giotto and Manet and adding newspaper headlines and magazine images. The fashion consisted of relaxed wear that one could wear in the house to relate to the lockdown people experienced in the past months.
Next we have Chanel designer, Virginie Viard, who created a show-stopping collection that portrayed the Hollywood movie industry. She wanted to depict the feeling of being an actress on a red carpet and did this by recreating the Hollywood sign with its own name for models to walk in front of. The collection mainly consisted of imported silk and satin pieces with elegant evening gowns with sequins.
And what would a Paris Fashion Week Show be without a peek from Louis?
Louis Vuitton designer, Nicolas Ghesquiere, produced a collection that successfully erased the barriers between masculinity and femininity. He included colorful pieces on models with androgynous looks. This emphasized the need for more co-ed styles in the fashion industry. Due to COVID-19, Louis Vuitton gave virtual guests a VIP experience by installing the webcams on the front row.
Miu Miu, a fully owned subsidiary brand of Prada, produced a collection of 53 looks that included 1980s inspired sportswear with bright pops of color. Models wore bold track jackets and pants, heeled tennis shoes, and micro skirts. The collection was tailored more to the younger community with their plaid skirts and blazers embracing the school atmosphere.
Last on rands like Roger Vivier got innovative with their digital displays. Gherardo Felloni, the creative director of Vivier, developed an interactive hotel game that invited guests to check into “Hotel Vivier Cinémathèque", a fashion film starring French actress, Isabelle Huppert. There were genre-themed rooms, including horror, comedy, thriller, etc. Players were able to play “Would You Rather?” and direct Huppert’s actions. Felloni wanted to show his vision of womanhood by using character, and not just a female body.
Commentaires