Tie-dye jumpsuits for spring at Stella McCartney fashion show
Jumpsuits were the order of the day at Stella McCartney’s catwalk show during Paris Fashion Week on Monday, with skin-tight floral numbers contrasting with more laid back, wide-legged boilersuit styles in white and blue tie-dye prints. The spring and summer 2019 collection is the first since the British designer said she was buying back full control of her namesake brand from French luxury group Kering. “You don’t take that decision lightly, it’s something that I’ve taken incredibly seriously and it’s been a long process,” McCartney said of her plans to go it alone with the brand, after 17 years of a joint-venture with Kering. The split should be final by March 2019.
“Having control of the company is important when your name is above the door and I think if you have that option it’s rude not to.” Models strutted under the shimmering mosaic ceilings in the corridors of Paris’ Opera Garnier.
Known for her environmentally-friendly approach to fashion, McCartney’s latest outing featured a ruffled shell suit in recycled nylon and handbags made from faux leather. Pale suits with combat-style trousers for the men followed oversized linen suits for women, interspersed with flirtier mini-dresses in brightly-coloured knitted lace.
Hermes - the fashion house named after the speedy, messenger god - has long been associated with horse racing and affirmed its heritage by launching the show-jumping competition Saut Hermes in 2009. The label synonymous with luxury further embraced the legacy by taking Paris Fashion Week to the renovated Longchamp for a Saturday evening display.
The guests, geared up for styles that spoke of horses, were somewhat disappointed by the scarce equestrian references. One that fit the bill was a white dress with eyelets that was inspired by a horse groomer’s apron. The 47 looks by French designer Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski in ontrend neutral colors were superlative for a host of other reasons. Most twinned the designer’s signature minimalism with a sporty edge.
Clean silhouettes - crisp hems, simple geometric shapes, tight proportions and minimal accessories - set the tone. Many of the individual items were must-haves, such as a pair of slightly flared burgundy pants that were made of crisscrossed bands of material. And people better start placing their orders for the new two-tone Kelly bag! Hermes goes to the races
Cool Paris fashion show brings stars out in bumps
When Hollywood stars and some of the world’s top models get together it’s usually their fans who get the goosebumps. But it was actresses Elle Fanning, Andie MacDowell, Eva Longoria and supermodels Winnie Harlow and Ming Xi who had the shivers from a chill breeze as they prepared to walk down a floating runway in the River Seine for Paris fashion week’s biggest show. Pros that they are, they put a brave face on it, smiling and waving to the huge crowd that watched the spectacle from the packed riverbanks and bridges. No such worries for the boys, with “Game of Thrones” star Nikolaj CosterWaldau-the dishy Dane who plays Jaime Lannister-leading out the male side of the show in coats, polo necks and jumpers.
In the end though, the northerly wind dropped allowing the models to bask in perfect autumn sunshine. All river traffic on the Seine was halted for 30 minutes to make sure they would be no waves to knock the stars off their 60metre (200-foot) pontoon perch. Just to make doubly sure that no-one ended up in the drink, it was sheltered by an enormous celebrity-laden barge.
The show organized by the cosmetics giant L’Oreal featured looks from 14 fashion week designers including Off White, Balmain, Elie Saab, Atlein, Giambattista Valli, Jacquemus, Miu Miu and Sonia Rykiel. Other celebrity models included the British singer Cheryl, South Korean supermodel Soo-Joo Park, “anti-body shaming” activist Iskra Lawrence, Australian Duckie Thot and Dutch catwalk legend Doutzen Kroes. The show was broadcast live in 30 countries, according to L’Oreal, who held a similar gigantic show on the Champs Elysees, the French capital’s grandest boulevard, last year. — Agencies