Exaggerated Proportions Kick Off Shows

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 Exaggerated proportions kick off Paris menswear shows Models present creations by Valentino during men’s Fashion Week for the Fall/Winter 2016/2017 collection in Paris. —AP/AFP photos cy winds and empty seats defined the first day of the divert traffic to accommodate the Imenswear shows at Paris Fashion traveling circus of fashionistas that Week - with heightened security fol- try to see over 70 official shows. lowing November’s deadly attacks in the French capital. Some front- Raf Simons goes back to school row celebrities were no-shows but And then the designers really let It was a back to school with a they ended up missing out on top- VALENTINO their hair down in a tribal-bohemian dash of the 1980’s for Raf Simons, notch creativity for the fall-winter Designers Pierpaolo Piccioli and finale - which showcased perhaps who’s been making ripples since 2016-17 season - with exaggerated Maria Grazia Chiuri did away with too many looks. Ponchos rubbed October last year for resigning as proportions featuring in Valentino the military styles that have pep- shoulders with embroidered feather Christian Dior’s creative director. At and Raf Simons.Here are the high- pered the nascent menswear aes- motifs, and bold tectonic patterns his Wednesday night menswear lights of Wednesday’s catwalk col- thetic. Wednesday’s show - in the on coats had fashionistas pulling show, the Belgian designer showed lections. magnificent 18th-century Hotel out their smartphone cameras. that he has retained a sense of Salomon de Rothschild town house humor - at least for his eponymous - was all the better for moving French federation tightens label. “Gargantuan” could be a bet- Valentino in a welcome creative show security ter word than “oversized” to direction. Sixties’ styles began the France’s fashion federation is describe the surreally exaggerated proceedings soberly enough - what ratcheting up security at ready-to- proportions of Simons’ russet and the designers humorously called wear shows during the menswear blue college sweaters and striped “existential blandness.” Graphic and haute couture week, as the high school cardigans in his fall- monochrome turtlenecks were country still reels from some of the winter 2016 show. Skinny models paired nicely with long black worst attacks on French soil in sported skinny black drainpipes, fur- coats with elongated, oversize peacetime. The federation said it is ther contrasting the oversized proportions, or tight-fitting double- collaborating with authorities in shapes. Collars were nibbled away breasted pea coats with skinny enforcing a national state of emer- as if a bored school kid had got pants. But then flashes of punk - like gency until Feb 26 - a move, it hungry ahead of lunch break. There some blown-up black-and-white admits, “might generate some con- were some clever moments of fash- check plaid on a statement coat - straints for the guests.” Designer ion fusion - large, floppy cuffs that demonstrated that this collection Franck Sorbier urged industry pro- might readily be associated with was not going to remain sober all fessionals to bring the bare mini- slouchy high school adolescents at the way through. True enough, mum and banned big bags while times evoked Asiatic styles, which embroidered pearls in Native designer Elie Saab warned that peo- also feature long, sweeping cuffs. American patterns served as sump- ple will be searched and refused Most looks were, of course, unwear- tuous decorations on a series of entry without ID. The Paris fashion able. But Simons is a fashion “intel- enviable retro coats that showcased season is always a huge operation lectual” more interested in ideas the house’s famed couture roots. for French authorities, who have to than practicality..

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