Daily Archives: October 4, 2011

Can we pause for a moment and ask: what cultural moment has every French designer experienced in the last few weeks that made them think “underwater theme” for next spring/summer?

Givenchy, Alexander McQueen and Chanel  all had mermaids on the brain — check out these pictures — which means next February store windows will be seascapes, and the next thing we know, we will all be dressing like Ariel (the Disney version, not the Shakespeare one), albeit with an apocalyptic edge. If you can imagine.

Givenchy by Chris Moore

McQueen by Chris Moore

Chanel by Chris Moore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I asked one colleague what he thought was going on, and he said “The Drowned World,” suggesting the current environmental crisis had designers thinking about JG Ballard’s 1962 novel about a post-global-disaster world over-run by floods and fantasy.

It could be true, although it’s hard to imagine Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld, Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci and Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton all sharing the same summer reading list.

You never know, though.

Chanel show

Chanel show - picture by Vanessa Friedman

At the Chanel show I was sitting next to architect Peter Marino, and after we had admired the all-white aquarium set (pictured left), we got to chatting about his recent renovation of the brand’s London Sloane Street store, to be unveiled this week. It’s not what you would expect.

First, it wasn’t nearly as expensive as one (okay, me) might assume, even though the centrepiece is a graphic black and white work of art by Allan McCollum, the American artist, displayed around the central stairwell and featuring the most popular 1000 women’s names according the US census. Think Maria, Chanel (really) and Shakira and you’ll get the idea.

Material World

with Vanessa Friedman

About this blog About Vanessa Blog guide
Vanessa Friedman's blog deals with the fashion/luxury industry from both a corporate and consumer point of view, as well as the subject of dress.



Vanessa FriedmanVanessa has been the FT’s fashion editor since 2003, and is based in New York, though she lived in London for 12 years.
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