Ballerina or biker? Pagan-wench or punk? Futurist, flapper or femme fatale ? The Paris ready-to-wear collections for spring/ summer 2011 were a whirl of role-playing, with more costume switches than a Rossini opera.
The anti-minimalism rebellion was deliberate, the antithesis of austerity-chic, designed to shake off the shackles of the subdued grown-up wardrobe predominating this winter, and cut loose a little; even the 'queen of clean', Phoebe Philo at Céline , introduced Marrakesh mosaic prints, fringing and tribal, handwoven vests. Camel paled into style insignificance beside the new blues, such as teal, royal, cyan, sapphire, peacock, and sky, and a host of hot shades.
Hemlines will definitely be longer next season - despite Balmain 's rebel yell for the pelmet-skirt; hotpants are shaping-up to be the new 'mini'; and next season's silhouette will be loose and fluid.
The boy-meets-girl scenario was a constant undercurrent, but with a twist: the girl fell in love with the boy's wardrobe; like stylista Alexa Chung, who wears shirts and jackets belonging to her boyfriend, Arctic Monkeys frontman, Alex Turner. John Galliano at Christian Dior lifted Marlon Brando's white T-shirt and jackets from 'On The Waterfront'; Stella McCartney mixed her Savile Row-sleek trouser suits with the kind of polo-shirts favoured by Bing Crosby playing golf; Viktor & Rolf were inspired by the pinstriped shirts of (male) bankers.
"It's going to be a boyish season," Balenciaga 's creative director, Nicolas Ghesquière said of his collection, which, like many, borrowed from the music scene and riffed on futuristic interpretations of punk, goth and rocker stereotypes. The tough rock 'n' roll chick (Joan Jett, Nina Hagen), held sway at Jean Paul Gaultier , while Yohji Yamamoto 's more psychedelic muse was inspired by Grace Slick. Punk was the only way for Balmain's Christophe Decarnin, who has posters of the Sex Pistols at his studio walls, and used Sid Vicious's 'My Way' on the soundtrack.
Orientalism provided alluring femininity: layered, kimono-prints at Kenzo ; oriental flowers on silk shirts and dresses at Dries Van Noten ; striking samurai or kimono shapes at Haider Ackermann; kimonos and silk pyjamas at John Galliano ; china dolls in exotic cheongsams in Marc Jacobs' show for Louis Vuitton . Jacobs also worked tiger prints, which, in decadent glamour, was matched by Riccardo Tisci's sharp-as-nails, leopard print at Givenchy . There was less emphasis on the Yves Saint Laurent-inspired peasant looks of the 1970s than in Milan, and it was Stefano Pilati, YSL 's creative director who revisited the house's famous flounce and ruffle.
Body-con tops and swirling, full or pleated skirts underscored Alber Elbaz's sexy Lanvin collection, while Chloé 's Hannah MacGibbon took more sensual inspiration from the ballerina, and the interplay of sheer and opaque gave rise to sweet girlishness at Valentino .
The week featured three anniversaries, two comebacks and a bittersweet revival. French Vogue marked 90 years, Roberto Cavalli marked his 40th anniversary with a glitzy bash, and Antonio Marras, Kenzo's creative director, celebrated four decades, with a tribute of 40 looks, re-styled from the labels archives, at the end of his own spring/summer collection for the brand. Pierre Cardin , 88, returned to the Paris catwalk for the first time in ten years, reminding everyone who is fashion's true Space-Man; and Ines de la Fressange returned to the Chanel catwalk after a gap of 21 years.
Emotions ran high at Alexander McQueen , where Sarah Burton, the late designer's right-hand, made her debut as the brand's creative director, with a magical collection inspired by nature and pagan goddesses. Intricate hand-crafted work in feathers, leather, ribbons, raffia, metal thread, crochet and silk, infused elaborately-beautiful pices which maintained the spirit of McQueen's legacy, whilst injecting a new atmosphere of ethereal bohemian romance.
