As Paris fashion week comes to an end style director Adrian Clark gives his thoughts on the final collections
The final weekend of shows in Paris saw many disappointments as designers across the board played it very safe for autumn 2013. That said there were three standout collections.
Lucas Ossendrijver presented one of his smoothest shows to date for Lanvin (picture far left) with soft shouldered coats and suits in dark shaded luxury wools, worn with sheer shirts or oversized T-shirts and nearly always paired with running shoes. Reflective stripes that ran down the inside of the leg of trousers, or document holders in mirrored chrome, sliced through the relaxed formality of the city-chic day wear, giving it a razor sharp edge.
Paul Smith (picture left-of-centre) was also on very good form. Inspired by the off-bright colour palette of the Bauhaus art school, the British designer mixed neat tailored blazers with easy cut trousers in soft-sheen fabrics, which gave a youthful effect. Smith explored the use of puppytooth pattern for overcoats or in bold stripes of multicoloured houndstooth for knits. Bold blocks of colour were given depth in chenille sweaters or in bouclé wools in one of his strongest, yet most commercial, collections for many years.
The fashion world eagerly anticipated the return of Hedi Slimane to the runway with his second collection for the house of Saint Laurent (picture right-of-centre). Not having shown a menswear collection on a catwalk since he bowed out at Dior many years ago, the question was whether he would take the label, where he found notoriety, in a new direction.
It wasn’t a massive departure from his signature style but that didn’t matter as it still felt as relevant today as it did then and he didn't disappoint. The collection included the favourite staples from a man’s wardrobe – the duffle coat, the biker jacket, the motorcycle jean, the varsity jacket, the Nordic ski knit – all of which were given his attention to detail and very recognisable silhouette. Skinny jeans that were ripped up the leg and oversized knits came in leopard. It had all of the glittering rock and roll glamour that a house like Saint Laurent should have, but with the comfort of pieces that felt like they had history. Welcome home Mr Slimane.
Grooming Tip
Hedi Slimane’s undone rock-geek chic show for Saint Laurent called for volume, and a matt, almost dirty yet clean texture (picture far right). To achieve this at home use L’Oreal Paris Studio Line Matt & Messy Sponge Putty £3.56 (RRP) for150ml; stockists 0800-0304 032. With its light texture and matt finish you can recreate the out-of-bed look as it has a medium hold so that your hair stays in place without weighing it down. The final effect is matt and natural. To banish tired after party eyes, we recommend L’Oreal Paris Men Expert Vita Lift 5 Eye Roll On RRP £10.99 (RRP) for10ml; stockists; 0800-0304 032. This all-in-one complete anti-ageing eye roll-on is enriched with Pro-Retinol and a Nutri-Peptido complex containing hydrolyzed rice protein, which is a skin conditioning ingredient to fight wrinkles, stubborn dark circles and refine the skin’s texture.
