
MUGLER
debut menswear collection fall winter 2011-12
by Nicola Formichetti
Today, 6pm, Paris fashion week show
Thursday, 6pm, exclusive web only film stream

Canadian born Calla Haynes launch Calla, a relaxed luxury label with strong print designs, for last Spring Summer 10 collections. For Fall 10 the prints, foundation of all Calla collections, came from textures found in abstract paintings, landscapes and more specifically from photographs of Flamingo feathers used on silk chiffon, stretch cotton, twills and jerseys for a series of bustier dresses, geometrical tops and skirts. The pale color palette keeps the collection in the continuity of Haynes work for the past season and even beyond when collaborating with Theyskens for the likes of Rochas or Ricci, a modern nostalgic look, a young cold beauty, body conscious but not constraining, a little lolita but never just cute and naive, a collection of charming contrasts.







Something has happened during last Paris fashion week, the return of the young french designers. Well, in fact it's more like the return of interest towards young french designers, but only the result counts, and I'll keep the polemics aside (for now). Amongst this very limited group of promising designers ( that includes Anthony Vaccarello, Nicolas Andreas Taralis and still Charles Anastase ) is Maxime Simeons, french born and educated in the pure french tradition of the couture craftsmanship, and has been working in the best big house's studio before launching his eponymous label last season. Now for his second season, Simoens wanted to retrace the history of the woman's emancipation through fashion. No more corset, maybe a hint of it is left, the waist goes down, the neckline goes deeper, the skirts and dresses shorter.



Christian Wijnants presentation took place in the architecture gallery, in the heart of Paris, Marais. But Wijnants Fall 10 is not about architecture and structures as the location might suggest, it is more a fairytale of flower power generation with a touch of medieval age. The collection is articulated around natural and saturated earth tones colors like bronze, caramel, camel and rust in velvet, silk and wool layered sheer tops, hooded cape and dresses with prints inspired by Don Snyder's Aquarian Odyssey, resulting in a modern mystic take on fashion.
