Paris: Stella McCartney, Giambattista Valli, Viktor & Rolf and Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2009
“God, who are they photographing?” I keep asking, as the crowd of shooters seems rooted to the spot over some unfortunate soul in the front row at Stella McCartney. It’s not Thandie Newton, it’s not Kanye West, it’s not Beth Ditto (who comes in at the very last minute with a six-person entourage). Who could it be? Finally they move away. Oh rigggght. Paul McCartney. That guy. Stella’s collection is full of the looks fashion eds actually wear—including a return to lingerie dresses, suitings and thigh-high vegan “leather” boots. She also popped an “I heart Stella” gel pack on each seat. I’m taking it home, I don’t care if it bursts all over my suitcase. The next time I have a headache I want a designer ice pack, goddammit!
Next is Barbara Bui and then off to lunch with FASHION (and International Herald Tribune and Interview) writer Rebecca Voight at Café Flore on the Left Bank. It’s where Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre used to hang out doncha’ know. Zip into Laduree for a tarte citron to fortify myself before the Giambattista Valli show—pssst, look for our story on Valli in an upcoming issue! From his collection of retro-influenced looks (though my favourite was a très modern sheer tank attached to wide-legged trousers, creating a unique take on a jumpsuit) it’s easy to see why he’s become the current It Boy of fashion, though the hype that inflates dresses up to 18,000 euros could be pushing his luck.
Viktor & Rolf showed a collection of surprisingly wearable and almost pretty looks to an also surprising not-packed room, and the day ends with Yves Saint Laurent show at the Palais du Tokyo, a surprisingly petit venue. Word on the rue is that designers are putting shows in smaller spaces s this year to avoid the depressing appearance of empty seats in case tough times are meaning eds and buyers are staying at home. But there certainly was room for Catherine Deneuve, and the collection of painfully chic greys, blacks, white shirts and new versions of Le Smoking. YSL of course attracts the Super Fashiony Fashion People, much to the bemusement of the ever-present cravates rouges, who have a front row seat to the circus all week.
“I wonder what goes through their heads?” muses my partner-in-Paris crime, the Toronto Star’s David Graham. “That we’re all a bunch of wankers,” I tell him. “And that this wanker thinks she’s more important than that wanker!” he adds.
So from a bunch of bloody wankers at YSL to you, a demain!
What was your favourite show? Check out our slideshows below, then tell us in the comments!
STELLA MCCARTNEY | YVES SAINT LAURENT | ALL FALL 2009
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