Content area
Full Text
Opulence is out and understated sophistication is back on show, says Andrea Byrne
Paris pret-a-porter season was the final stop on the international catwalk circuit. The city closes proceedings because she is the grande dame of fashion, garnering the most excitement and invariably providing the finest moments.
Though an impressive array of A-listers were there (Julianne Moore at Yves Saint Laurent, Twiggy at Stella McCartney, Dita Von Teese at Louis Vuitton, and a heavily pregnant Jessica Alba at Lanvin), the French capital doesn't rely on their presence for exposure and column inches. It's much more about the clothes. So much so, that while many important American fashion buyers chose to snub London, they turned up to Paris in their droves.
However, like other fashion weeks, PFW was accused (with a few exceptions) of designing clothes and looks that were reflective of the gloomy period that is forecast, by shunning opulence and opting instead for more discreet sophistication.Yes, Paris was uncharacteristically more wearable and, yes, minimalism was the byword, but even so it did give us some awe-inspiring moments.
Who provided them? For me it was Alexander McQueen, Alber Elbaz for Lanvin and Yohji Yamamoto. Before his show, McQueen announced that his company had reported considerable profits. Admittedly, much of this success stems from his hugely successful...