The COLLECTIONS

LOUIS VUITTON

This season might be all about ’70s bourgeois chic but Nicolas Ghesquière has always been an avowed ’80s fanboy. The fashions of the era were polarising—loved and loathed in equal measure—so it seemed fitting that Ghesquière would erect the equally polarising façade of the Centre Pompidou in the Louvre to frame his latest collection. The clothes were an homage to the decade with faces framed by sculptural ruffles, oversized lapels or crystal-encrusted neckerchief collars. Skirts were short with flippy hems, and shoulders and sleeves were of statement-making proportions—all grounded by flat boots and shoes for a decidedly modern attitude.

FENDI

Karl Lagerfeld’s final Fendi collection was filled with plenty of the signatures he established over five decades at the Roman House. Structured pagoda shoulders, rigorous tailoring and starched high collars were all hallmarks of his precise hand, and when paired with scarlet lips, shellacked hair and A-line skirts, effortlessly evoked ’40s Hollywood glamour. Lagerfeld made the looks resonate for today by grounding them with pointy-toed boots; adding brilliant jolts of colour such as aquamarine and the iconic Fendi yellow; and layering pieces over stockings and bodysuits covered in double-F Karligraphyguaranteed collectibles and street-style bait. Perforation, see-through layers and swishing pleats added further touches of lightness and modernity.

GIVENCHY

In less than two years, Clare Waight Keller has steered Givenchy towards an elegance that’s closer to the aristocratic spirit of its House founder. Her latest collection further reinforced this vision, starting with cinched suits featuring pronounced shoulders that were either sculpted and rounded, or padded and angular. Balancing the strict suiting were micro-pleated dresses printed with tiny florals, the flounced hems and cuffs adding a charming youthfulness to the modest silhouettes. Puffed sleeves the size of wings brought couture-level drama, but cut in crinkly taffeta and worn with trousers, Waight Keller maintained a decidedly contemporary air of effortlessness.

DIOR

Women’s empowerment has become a key pillar of Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior. And she has pretty much established a formula for her ready-to-wear shows: She often works within the framework of a feminist message by an inspirational artist or author, with said message reiterated on a t-shirt, and complemented by lovely, ladylike clothes that are designed to be worn by real women with real-life needs. Hence, feminist artist Tomaso Binga’s seminal naked