For the fashion fiends, the unspoken thought going around is that for some unknown reason, this round of fashion weeks seemed to drag…and drag. Today, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu and Elie Saab are among the shows that mark the final day of Spring RTW 2013 Paris Fashion Week.
As part of the final few, Chanel and Alexander McQueen helped bring fashion week to a much-needed climax. The two very different houses can’t be compared to each other; however, in their own signature styles, they stood out and brought back all the warm, fuzzy fashion week feelings.
Chanel
Karl Lagerfeld, the man of many talents, does it yet again. For Chanel RTW Spring 2013, Lagerfeld continues to raise the bar for himself and his fellow fashion designers who play in the same field, but may or may not have figured out the formula for greatness as he has. To reinvent Chanel would be disastrous, there’s no need to do so because Chanel is timeless. The challenge – that Lagerfeld accepts so well – is to continuously refresh the brand with each collection that speaks to the generations of women who adore Chanel for its past, present and future.
The Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées served as the venue of choice with a surreal blue and white runway complete with 13 giant white wind turbines to set the mood. The collection included over 80 looks, most of which were perfectly streamlined, complete with wide midriff jackets, corseted underpinnings, jumbo clustered pearl necklaces, and plenty of florals, prints and colors to choose from come spring and summer.
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Alexander McQueen
Sarah Burton continues to do right by Alexander McQueen with one captivating collection after the other. This time around, her inspiration was the bee, the flying insect that is quick to sting if it feels threatened. But to be stung by the Queen Bee is delightful in this scenario where Burton holds the keys to the honeycomb she describes as “a matriarchal society where the females rule.”
The honeycomb provided the shape for the form-fitting silhouettes that were anchored at the high waist. The bee made an appearance every now and then in embroideries. Colors were honey-toned yellow, gold, and copper with black and red to add the deep, dark depth that makes for the total Alexander McQueen experience. Underpinnings, cage- and corset-like, went in or went out, no restrictions in this regard.
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To view the collections in their entirety, visit WWD.com.
