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International Herald Tribune

12 Thursday, October 4, 2007 Fashion
Wild prints
and bold,
bright color
From Page 11

clothes with so much stuff and so many

ISSEY MIYAKE
Miyake in the whirlwind
he yellow beasts stretched their
T long necks and gave a dragon roar
as the wild wind tugged at coats,
dresses, hair. The cluster of people
struggled to wrap themselves in pro-
tective coats as they faced off with one
of the world’s iconic machines: the
Dyson power vacuum.
The Issey Miyake show was a tour
de force of man against nature — a nd
not just because the drama of those ma-
gisterial air vents caused the inventor
and entrepreneur James Dyson to be
pulled on to the runway to take a bow.
The designer Dai Fujiwara succeeded
in bringing energy and imposing coher-
ence in his second season at Miyake.
‘‘The Wind,’’ as the show was titled,
did not just refer to the famous ‘‘wi nd
coat,’’ Miya ke’s invention in the days
Valentino’s Dolce Vita
tricks. He has not deviated from the an-
drogynous message that he was so early
to grasp in the 1980s. It still works. But
he now needs the courage to send out a
collection that can stand in its own
right, without the bells and whistles and
pistol-head umbrellas, however witty
and charming they can be.
Rei Kawakubo at Comme des Gar-
çons is ‘‘The Brave One.’’ Her show
suggested further — and darker — ex-
ploration of the cute Kawaii spirit that
she presented last season, although the
designer backstage denied any theme.
‘‘Clustering cacophony — ra ndom-
ness’’ were her words, translated from
Japanese, to ‘‘expla in’’ the explosion of
pink and yellow clownish colors, the
frills tumbling down trousers like
cutout streamers, semidetached
squares of striped fabric and half capes
as folded angel wings at each shoulder.
From disheveled hair and rouge circles
on cheeks to feet encased in pink shoes
with mesh socks, the show had a car-
toon-like quality — reinforced by the
projection of an animated cartoon strip
on the floor.
The show was chaotic, yet it was
filled with a manic energy. The distor-
ted ‘‘pretty’’ makeup, with a sad face be-
hind the mask. And the insistent focus
on froufrou femininity, from frills
bunched into twin pockets to decora-
tion as leafy appliqués. Or there were
tutu flowers smothering the front of a
ANN DEMEULEMEESTER VERONIQUE BR ANQUINHO
Photographs by Chris Moore/Karl Prouse
skirt. But do not ask Kawakubo what
that means for modern women. She just blues through purple. A big color mo- line. loosened up. Silver mesh wristbands
sends out her extraordinary clothes. ment for Karl Lagerfeld then? Out came Then, finally, color! But that was as a brought a soupçon of rock ’n’ roll and
At the Karl Lagerfeld collection, a black top and skirt, the model’s legs bangle made out of psychedelic the green/black coq feathers a shiver of
neon strips at the back of the runway
glowed a vivid rainbow spectrum of
red, orange, yellow, green — and then
veiled in, well, black. Then black and
white, used to the graphic effect that is
the only identifying character of this
squares of plastic. Or there was a pair
of yellow detached sleeves meeting
black gloves. When the designer finally
gothic darkness.
But Demeulemeester has put that
dark edginess behind her, finding a
before microfibers had hit the closet. allowed non-neutral shades in, they new identity in clothes that are a mod-
Fujiwara said backstage that he had
both an ecological mission to support
were mixes of pink and purple layered
as two toga-shaped dresses (Togas be-
ern version of womanly grace.
For Véronique Branquinho there
carbon-neutral efforts (printed on den-
im and on T-shirts) and also a philo-
sophy. ‘‘Wind doesn’t have any shape. It
Kokosalaki, with edge ing hot fashion news.) A tucked white
shirt dress with an underlayer of black
organza looked easier to wear.
were no cake and candles to celebrate
the 10th anniversary of the label that
the Belgian designer has built. But there
comes from nothing — it’s similar to ophia Kokosalaki brought her The KL show was not just about the was a vivid display of sunshine yellow,
fash ion,’’ the designer said.
On the runway, the clothes were a
S full focus back to her eponym-
ous line this season and it showed.
conundrum of color in a world where
fashion folk, at least, still feel more
as Victorian skirts in soft cotton swept
the runway floor. ‘‘Something optimis-
powerful exploration of fabric and No longer designing for the house of comfortable in neutrals. There is also tic that looks to the future,’’ said Bran-
form as dresses had a diamond pattern Vionnet, and now with the artistic the conundrum of the collection itself, quinho, who will have an exhibition of
pressed into the surface, or full pants and financial backing of Renzo which has, like the palette, the occa- her work in the fashion museum of her
were tamed with ruched effects or Rosso and his Diesel brand, the de- sional brilliant flash but mostly has a hometown of Antwerp next spring.
shaped with Miyake’s signature pleats. signer was freer than ever to ex- take-it-or-leave it quality, rather than As a designer whose usual take is for
From hefty outerwear worn with a hel- plore and manipulate textiles. This Lagerfeld’s signature energy and ur- simple, grownup dresses and skirts, this
met to transparent coats decorated time she delved deep into the dual- gency. season’s offering seemed more dramat-
with squares of color, the show had a ity of using fluid materials and Ann Demeulemeester’s take on ic, what with Zouave pants, the crotch
feeling of clothes caught in movement bending them to her will to create femininity versus masculinity was dropping to the floor, and the long
— with or without those mighty gusts stiff structured clothing. played out in stripes like seaside awn- skirts. Bright primary shades like royal
of wind. — Suzy Menkes The designer sent out a collection ings, some even in scarlet and white. blue and emerald green looked good
in keeping with the style that her The same effects came in black and when used for double layers of pleated
Sophia Kokosalaki brand is known white, with extras like dangling fringe dresses. But there was something miss-
for — pleating, folding and draping and ballooning sleeves controlled with ing in this whimsical statement, as
fabrics — but she continues to push
those trademark looks forward
while deftly adding intricate bead-
elbow ties.
But all that was grafted on to the de-
signer’s silhouette, which is elongated
though the designer were indulging her-
self a little for her anniversary.

ing on dresses to her repertoire. and masculine with the fitted coat of an Suzy Menkes is fashion editor at the
urrounded by merry models, dashes of yellow; and polka dots on Trends of the season were ad- Edwardian gentleman and his vest, International Herald Tribune.

S dancing as if at a party, rather

than at Va lentino’s ready-to-
wear finale, the iconic Italian
couturier took his bow.
But this swan song was nothing like
the emotionally charged 45th an-
niversary celebration in Rome last
summer — nor will it match the final
farewell when the designer retires after
his haute couture show in January.
‘‘I am very happy,’’ said Valentino, as
Champagne corks popped backstage.
‘‘And I wanted to say so to everyone
who has been with me for so many
years — and to tell them not to forget
Va lentino.’’
As if! From the moment that the cry
of ‘‘Ma rcello’’ from ‘‘La Dolce Vita’’
soundtrack resounded across the pin-
wheel of a runway, Valentino transpor-
ted his audience to his world, where
women in bubble gum pink cocktail
dresses swing bags made of feathers
and have high heels tied with satin rib-
bons and bows.
The colors that splashed over the
runway — Valentino red, of course;
green and blue chiffon — were matched
by long draughts of pure white.
They were dresses that, in their
lightness and their delicate details,
were quintessentially Valentino. What
hostess among the front row’s upscale
ladies could resist a white chiffon ap-
ron like a misty veil over a sparkly
dress? Or the gorgeous gowns that,
even in retreat, were hyper-seductive,
with signature bows just closing over a
bared spine.
It was a perfect show in terms of ex-
pressing the designer’s spirit, espe-
cially the harmonious prettiness that
brought dresses of eternal elegance,
just spiced with new thoughts, like a
one-shoulder toga dress. That was a
homage to current fashion — a nd
maybe to Valentino’s beloved Rome.
The show was a powerful personal
send-off. If Alessandra Facchinetti, the
successor chosen by Permira, the
private equity firm that now owns
Valentino, was in the audience or back-
stage, she kept a horizontal profile.
— Suzy Menkes
dressed but always with a Kokos-
alaki touch: Cuffed shorts had soft
pleating at the pockets, a translu-
cent trench came with a stormy sea
crashing along the hem and a shift
dress was constructed out of an ab-
stract Asian print.
Among standouts were a shirt
and jacket whose sleeves had been
pleated and twisted back to expose
the bare skin of the inner elbow,
creating, in an instant, a new ero-
genous zone.
And there were those powerful
dresses in black or white with con-
trasting pearl beading that cur-
licued around the breasts and cre-
ated a receding checkerboard effect
on the skirt that drew the eye into
its depths.
This was a wearable collection
with an edge that incorporated the
two cultures Kokosalaki is always
mixing into her brand: the cool Lon-
don look of her adopted country and
her Grecian roots.
SOPHIA KOKOSALAKI — Jessica Michault
Courting Mother Nature
other Nature had her way with the
M designer Andrew Gn.
A collection of classic and somewhat
safe pieces grew, through embroidered
birds, butterflies and white lilies, ap-
pliqué dragonflies in patent leather
and 3D whorls of pink and black silk
roses, into a show with staying power.
Other sweet touches, like leis of
ruffles trimming silk polka dot blouses
or oversized bows gracing the
shoulders of a bracelet-sleeve cream
coat, also were endearing.
The arrival of eveningwear had a
whiff of the 1970s in its long sleeve,
down-to-the-ground gowns. But the
colors that Gn chose were very of the
moment, especially canary yellow,
which is surfacing as the color of the
season. — Jessica Michault ANDREW GN

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