The shows of Saturday and Sunday were all about power. Jean Paul Gaultier always puts on a spectacle at his Rue Saint Martin venue and this season he put on several as he invoked the stylish spirit of his favourite 1970s and 1980s pop artists. To a backdrop of silhouetted dancers on a scaffold, he kicked off with a series of powerfully tailored suits on Grace Jones lookalikes, squared-off pillbox hats replicating her famously sculptural hair. Madonna, Annie Lennox, Michael Jackson, David Bowie and more acted as inspiration here, and the crowd loved every minute. Behind the gimmick, though, were some utterly lovely pieces, from the curvy, sexy trousersuits at the start to sleek, Sade-inspired evening frocks.
Across town, Stuart Vevers’s development of Loewe continues apace, this time with a rebellious-meets-classical aesthetic inspired by Gala Dalí that saw mesh and laser-cut leather combined with traditional Spanish leatherwork, such as ornately embossed patterns and appliquéd flowers. Tough khaki and gothic black contrasted with beautiful, pared-back stone, and the blouson jacket was a strong look.
Andrew Gn sent out a collection that included some Japanese origami folds for good measure. Patrick Kovarik / AFP Photo
Another strong woman was the inspiration for Andrew Gn, who was inspired by images of Queen Elizabeth II riding an elephant with a Maharajah in the 1950s. Thus he sent out a collection that mixed up 1950s silhouettes – demure full skirts, shawl collars, stoles and pencil skirts in paper silks – with Indian decorative accents such as opal-crystal embellishments and beaded Paisley patterns – as well as some Japanese origami folds for good measure.
The most successful pieces, though, were some lovely georgette cape-shaped blouses with what he termed “taj pants”: front-pleated from just below the hip, flaring then tapering dramatically just below the knee. All came in luscious, rich shades of coral, peacock, chartreuse, cobalt, pale lilac-grey, black and white.
For more information you can visit Mode à Paris
More from Paris Fashion Week
Day one: moody romanticism from Van Noten and Rochas Day two: Arora, Copping, Lanvin – a season to be contrary Day three: grown-up glamour at Dior, Anne-Valérie Hash, Roland Mouret – and rainbows at Issey Miyake In pictures: Backstage at Viktor & Rolf Day six: graphic Hermès, glamorous Giambattista Valli and the black and blues at Saint Laurent Day seven: clean energy charms at Paris Fashion Week Picture special: Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Dior seen, and re-seen Final day: Elie Saab and Louis Vuitton shine as the curtain falls like the rain in Paris
The National’s fashion correspondent Gemma Champ will be writing every day from Paris Fashion Week. She has previously blogged from London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week.
