Paris Spring 2014: Guy Laroche, Alexis Mabille

by The Daily Front Row

(PARIS) Guy Laroche 
Guy Laroche was looking to Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca, and David Cronenberg‘s fascination with new life forms for Spring. In other words, sci-fi. But if the collection doesn’t look too futuristic, that’s because the references were more so in the fabric than the form. A grey tiered fringe shift dress was made from strands of optic fibre (a fabric we also saw on Dolce’s runway in Milan), while a blush one-piece trench coat was crafted from a fusion of silk and polyamide. Some stellar, all-white pieces looked like patent gravel and sported patches of leather, cut as voluminous bomber jackets, long vests, and boxy tops. The first half of the show was about white dress shirts paired with black pants or shorts. Hardly a future-focused conceit. But up close, these shirts were subtly off-kilter: buttoning up the left side with the collar turned, say, or decked out in bell sleeves and golden buttons for that perfect white shirt that you “just can’t find anywhere else”.  And that’s what fashion is all about, non?

Alexis Mabille
It was a rodeo gone rogue for Spring ’14 at Alexis Mabille. The Europeans are definitely taking cues from the American West this season (hints were seen at Etro and full-on references were at Versace) and it’s an interesting take, to be sure. In the show notes, Mabille cited his influences as Rosie the Riveter, that Americana symbol of female strength circa WWII, meets a Vargas pin-up. Models marched out with their hair done up in scarfs knotted atop the head, paired with army green jumpsuits. But it wasn’t a covered-up take on the militant look: Those jumpsuits got unbuttoned low enough to reveal some very, very sexy bras.The cowgirl references came in cowgirl inspired denim shirts that were given a dash of flair thanks to sequined details and silk pants with rounded hems and side splits that flapped like chaps as the mods walked. Every look was paired with black tassled cowboy boots. In short, it was about the strong, independent lass with confidence to burn. Not unlike many of the girls we saw getting street snapped pre-show.

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