WAVE CHANGE OF CREATIVE DIRECTORS IN FASHION HOUSES, RISING LAST YEAR, REACHED THE COAST: THE SPRING-SUMMER 2017 SEASON HAS BECOME A MUCH FOR BEGINNERS. COLLECTIONS CHRISTIAN DIOR, VALENTINO, LANVIN, SAINT LAURENT AND OTHER - UNDER STEADY LENS OF ATTENTION.
Jonathan Saunders & Diane von Furstenberg
The British designer, many predicted the place of Raf Simons in Christian Dior. But the caravan went in exactly the opposite direction: Saunders was called to the other side of the Atlantic, to New York. “Jonathan’s incredible passion for colors and prints, the carelessness of his collections and the desire to make women beautiful make him the ideal person to lead the DVF and lead the brand into the future,” commented Diana von Furstenberg in an official press release. By the way, among the important qualities it is worth mentioning the speed of his work: despite the need for moving and arranging his life in the city of the Big Apple, he developed the spring-summer line in just four months. And of course, he beat her dress with a wrap code for the label. But the author’s style didn’t blur: his asymmetry, complex cut, bright floral and geometric patterns are immediately visible.
In life, the founder of the House, which now focuses more on charity, is more emotional than in formal statements: at the presentation of the collection, von Furstenberg kissed the new captain of her fashion ship on the cheek, calling Saunders "an intelligent designer with a distinct aesthetics."
Maria Grazia Curie & Christian Dior
The audience languished for a long time, because after everyone discussed and not everyone understood the departure of Raf Simons in October 2015, the vacancy was open until July 2016. This is a mega-important event for Dior: for the first time, a woman led the House of Legends, and a historical departure for Valentino: Maria worked there for 17 years, eight of which as one of the creative directors. All fashionable insiders of the world flocked to her debut show, and the collection was disassembled in detail by stitches, styles and even letters: T-shirts with the words "We should all be feminists" and "Dio (r) evolution" instantly became the objects of desire of all modern fashionistas. Maria partially interpreted the topic of fencing, rethinking the tunes, cardigans and breeches typical for this sport. “Fencing is a combination of reason and feeling, so it suits women who want to realize themselves,” Curie explained.
She complemented her fashionable and philosophical narrative with fluffy skirts, so beloved by Dior himself, from the now actual tulle over sportswear and short shorts. Diluted the black-and-white and nude collection with a pair of scarlet images, as well as two completely infantile outlets in the "star" jumpers. Could not do without injections from critics: the collection contains "Valentine" notes. Well, now it’s clear who in the Italian giant was responsible for the romance and femininity of the images. Only at Dior Curie intends to rethink this femininity for a modern, active and purposeful generation. So she is only at the beginning of her career.
Rough Simons & Calvin Klein
The new place of work of the Belgian designer became known in the summer of 2016. Discussions fueled by expectation: the first Simons show of the Fall-Winter 2017/2018 season for the American brand was to take place (and took place) in February 2017. But the master surprised everyone ahead of time. Just in time for the beginning of Paris Fashion Week, that is, already in January, he presented to the public a completely new line of Calvin Klein By Appointment. A lookbook with outfits that will be created by individual standards in the studio was published on the company's official pages on the Internet. Buy on the Web, as well as in brand boutiques, it will be impossible.
The made-to-measure service, previously offered by Calvin Klein only celebrities, will be available to everyone from April 1. With such a broad and unifying gesture, Raf wants to show, by his own admission, that Calvin Klein is not only underwear and jeans. This is the finest work for the red carpet, and a powerful American phenomenon. That is why many fashionable allusions to the United States are reunited in the collection: from dresses inspired by the form of cheerleaders and majorettes to dresses of debutantes and Hollywood divas. It is noteworthy that the Calvin Klein By Appointment lookbook is assembled in the form of collages, where on the right is the proposed image, and on the left is the classic Calvin Klein Underwear.
Julia Haart & La Perla
"All their lives, women have been told that beauty requires sacrifice. I do not believe in this and would like to offer them an alternative," said Julia, taking up a new position. She laid an alternative path of development for the brand entrusted to her from Bologna, in which, by the way, she had previously worked on a line of accessories. La Perla, under the leadership of Julia, first presented the ready-to-wear collection at Milan Fashion Week for the Spring-Summer 2017 season, and the second, autumn-winter show has recently taken place in New York. An important point: preta-porte means things in which you can go outside the house. Therefore, La Perla now has jackets, blouses, trousers, and other wardrobe items. But the brand’s DNA remained: underwear, sleepwear and beach resorts, swimwear and accessories.
Julia is obsessed with the idea of comfort. In it, she sees the resolution of the initially voiced dilemma of "beauty or sacrifice." She aspired to him, while still being the designer of her personalized brand of shoes Julia Haart, offering high heels, but a comfortable shoe. Switching to La Perla, she did not change her philosophy. Julia uses the colossal achievements of the House in the part of perfectly fitting and emphasizing the dignity of linen. She sewed a bra and corset elastic inserts into shirts, jackets and overalls, so they fit perfectly.
Anthony Vaccarello & Saint Laurent
The Belgian, who previously worked for Versus Versace, was replaced by Edie Slimane. At the same time, he closed his name brand, considered one of the most commercially successful among relatively young brands, in order to devote himself completely to the Saint Laurent empire. And although all kinds of memories of the former chief designer were removed from the pages of the label on social networks, Sliman's legacy still made itself felt in the collection of Vaccarello. Firstly, the rejuvenation of the brand’s audience, thanks to which it became associated with glam rock and grunge, is entirely its merit. Anthony sailed along this course, both because of his own convictions and because of the successful financial statements of the House. Yes, and continued the theme of the 80s, which became the leitmotif of the latest Sliman collection.
But a note of protest nevertheless sounded: Vaccarello returned the legendary YSL logo to the world of fashion, from which at one time his predecessor removed the first letter. Now shoes with heels in the form of this abbreviation and similar earrings are must have of the season. They paid even more attention than to the always excellent work of the designer with leather and the next variations of the Senloran tuxedo.
Bukhra Jarrar & Lanvin
It seemed that Albert Elbaz in Lanvin was akin to the pyramids in Egypt — almost eternal. He worked for the company for 14 years, but if the stones know how to be silent, then there are no people: he left this post because of disagreements with the management. 47-year-old Bukhra Jarrar entrusted to write a new chapter in the history of the brand. We searched for it for a long time, but to be sure: a Frenchwoman with Moroccan roots had previously worked with Nicolas Gesquière and Christian Lacroix, has her own label with collections of ready-to-wear and haute couture (the designer froze it immediately after the appointment), which means that you can be trusted with so much important reins of government. She embarked on them enthusiastically, starting with a deep dive into the Lanvin archives. And she fished out an interesting detail from there: Jeanne Lanven tried herself in developing informal, original jewelry. In particular, in 1925 she created a tie-necklace studded with beads.
Bukhra “caught the idea by the tail” and, without a doubt, made some of the best catwalk jewelry of the season. These are sotuars from many chains intercepted by knots, chain necklaces and bracelets (even for legs) with flowing threads with crystals, original brooches and chokers. From things, she created draped dresses, a Lanvin business card, and demonstrated her strengths: trouser suits, jackets and vests.
Pierpaolo Piccioli & Valentino
Actually, the entry in his workbook has not changed. Reorganization took place: the creative duet with Maria Grazia Curie broke up, and the fashion designer first prepared the collection on his own. Solo performance was a success. In addition, with a calming effect for adherents of Valentino: things in the collection are all the same feminine (in the collection mainly dresses and skirts), romatically flying with intersperses of laconic, and sometimes ascetic ensembles. Piccioli finally fixed the trend to pink in all its shades, from dusty roses to fuchsia, and rubbed into the dust the speculation that Curie supposedly stood for such a delicate aesthetics. Talent-gender concept.
Text: Marina Motornaya
