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敬请期待中文版  Dior'sbackdrop mirrored the temple of French high art It is a great day to be a great designer. Because nothingbetter proves the need for imagination, intelligence, invention,irreverence and sheer creativity than the rudderless shows we havewatched at Dior and Lanvin in Paris this week. In both houses, the collections have not been bad - as in crass,vulgar or ill-fitting. The opposite is true. The houses and theirworkers respect the quality and the name of the "Maison". People who shop these clothes across the world will stillregister the well-known names and wear the clothes with pride. Yet two designer directors have disappeared: Raf Simons at Diorwalked out under pressure. At Lanvin, Alber Elbaz was fired. Their replacements have been the so-called "teams",people who worked hard behind the scenes when the masters werethere to guide them. The result is at best a feeling that a pallid version of what camebefore has been worked over. There may still be a scent of thefashion house. But it will inevitably fade. Dior: Celebs and Mirrors Dior took the same two Swiss designers, Serge Ruffieux and LucieMeier, who worked on haute couture, to handle the Winter 2016collection. The house built yet another grandiose set, thistime interspersing giant silver baubles as entrances to a facademirroring the Louvre. That was the last bold gesture of the show - unless you countfilling up the ranks with a possy of celebrities from Jessica Albain a black jacket, white, collar, gold-trimmed blouse and redtrousers - an outfit she described to me as "100 per centDior". She was joined by Rosamund Pike, Bond girl Naomie Harris andRiley Keough - best known as Elvis's granddaughter.  Jessica Albawas in "100 per cent Dior" Picture credit: Indigital The gossip was about Kris Jenner sitting second row while herdaughter Kendall was on the catwalk in one of the bolder outfits: adifferent fur on each bosom.  KendallJenner was on the catwalk Picture credit: Indigital Dior shows had become known for a certain boldness, or perhapsthat should be "madness" towards the explosive end of JohnGalliano's tenure. Raf Simons, who followed on, started with anemphatic statement about geometric modernity. This show was young, strict in its long opening period of black,and cute when little floral prints were inspired by a ChristianDior print of ice cream (at least that's what I read in the shownotes).  Picture credit: Indigital  Picture credit: Indigital There was a lack of those big, fat roses that Mr Dior loved inhis garden and on his dress patterns. Instead the prettiness was incoats and knitwear with gathered sleeves. If that wasn't enough ofa draw, handbags came out in twos or threes at once.  Picture credit: Indigital  Picture credit: Indigital  Picture credit: Indigital What stood out in this tunnel of silvered tubes and arches washow tame, if relatively appealing, this collectionseemed. It's as hard to define inventive design in fashion asit is in any decorative art. It is never about the crassZoolander idea of a good show. But there are moments whenpeople who love fashion experience moist eyes and a shiver ofexcitement. Dior never approached that magic momenttoday. Lanvin: Losing the Appetite Seeing the runway at Lanvin inspired a variety ofanalogies - a restaurant with only a sous chef came to mind -especially as previous designer Alber Elbaz had a habit of offeringaround his own funky food and cookies rather than the house'snice-but-banal pink champagne.  Lanvin'srunway missed Alber Elbaz's inspired touch Picture credit: Indigital The most obvious change in the show itself was the lack ofthose witty, pretty, iconic or ironic pieces, perhaps jewelleryannouncing "Yes!" or "Mine" or so many other whimsical expressionsof womanhood. Then there was Alber's insistence that every show should havedifferent elements - long, soft, aggressive, sweet - to accept thedifferent characters and needs of women. Whoever cut the square silver-grey suit that opened the show didnot give the impression that inside the stiff garment there was awoman with yearnings and needs. Everything was perfectly designedand well made, but you cannot fake the inner soul of an artist, anymore than you can clone a great work of art and claim it has thesame value as the original.  Picture credit: Indigital Fashion is "only" an applied art, so it is not required to carrybags of emotion inside a mannish check jacket worn with pleatedchiffon skirt; nor is it when the palette switches from a goldenwrap coat to calf-length ginger suede.  Picture credit: Indigital The whole point about emotion in clothing is that it isintangible. Alber had the talent to make something desirable. Theteam left behind showed technical prowess but no rush of blood.  Picture credit: Indigital What will be done to help these rudderless houses continue? Ithas to be recognised that the case of Gucci, with backstagedesigner Alessandro Michele waiting in the wings for a decade, is afluke. What high-level and important fashion houses need is a designerwith the technical and emotional skills to make the magic of agreat fashion moment happen. (责任编辑：admin) |