Back in black

LANVIN

The darling of the fashion world took a brave step away from his usual party-dress territory, putting touch at the top of his agenda with fringing, fur and feathers across a series of wildly different looks. Alber Elbaz opened his show with a military theme: soldier helmets bobbing with tall feathers. Plumage turned to fringing in a shaggy coat layered over a bouclé suit fringed at the neck, waist and hem. Fringing later melded into beading on 1920s-style flapper dresses embellished at the shoulder, side seam and hem. One had a fringed bib highlighting shoulders and waist. Later, hemlines grew longer in Downton Abbey- style Edwardian frock coats and long skirts with ruffles and pleats. Long gloves and wide-brimmed hats decorated with feathers brought the collection full circle.