He’s got a solid track record of dressing the biggest names in Hollywood, and the front row proved it, with Janet Jackson and Dita Von Teese among the top tier.
The collection focused on Elbaz’s love affair with the female body.
Known for his vibrant utilization of color and lighter-than-air silks, Elbaz, this time, wielded muted tones and Fortuny-inspired mini-pleats to kick off the show.
By look 25, however, Elbaz was toying with hints of the house’s traditional vibrancy, only to return to earthier tones for the remainder of the show.
By the finale, jewelry designer Elie Top’s embellishments returned to the forefront, only slightly more minimal than last season’s African tribalism.
Jeanne Lanvin would be grinning – asymmetric creations saw her skillful couture methods put to good use. Elbaz livened house favorites with visible seams, cut-outs, leather harnesses, and zipper details that often acted as a separation between colors and fabrics.
Gathered evening dresses came long-sleeved and short, ranged in shape, and followed the house’s tradition of wearability. But nothing looked more modern than the oversized tunic-like raincoats made of sheeny nylon that looked fit for a nuclear shower.
The collection’s real showstoppers, however, were the accessories. Spring can’t come soon enough, considering the beetle bracelets and plexiglass invisi-wedges Elbaz sent down the runway come out next year.
Marcus Holmund’s blog is at smokeandmirrorsblog.com
