There are only a few days left of Fashion Week, with the grand finale currently playing out in Paris. We’ve had our fair share of surprises throughout the season and across the major fashion capitals. From women wearing women at Rick Owens to streetwear taken literally at Moschino, and even water-soluble clothes at Hussein Chalayan. It’s been quite a ride.
But trust the irreverent Hedi Slimane to go against the grain in a way other designers dare not to. For the Saint Laurent spring/summer ’16 show, he showcased a barrage of staples: leather jackets, fur coats, denim patchwork jackets, and flimsy metallic dresses, shorts, and jeans. It’s been a tactic he’s come to be known for ever since becoming the creative director at Saint Laurent. Though it has thrown off the critics has proved to rake in the sales for the fashion house.
Some pieces were consciously ill-fitting so there was some nipple action here and there. The footwear of choice? Rain-ready knee high boots. The makeup was kept to a minimum, and the only accessory worth noting were plastic tiaras that all the models wore along with that “I-am-just-too-cool-for-this” pout.
The collection may look like Hedi is being lazy, but that’s not the case. The dresses showed off his mastery of drapery, and the different coats and jackets showed off his penchant for rebelliousness. The see-through lace pieces paired with a rugged army jacket reminded us that he can mix different aesthetics effortlessly.
At a time when most designers like pushing the envelope to see how far they can integrate haute couture with ready-to-wear, Hedi manages to achieve the hardest feat there may be. Because unlike the other shows, the models really looked like they can just walk off the runway and into real life.
See the full collection here.
[WWD]
Photo courtesy of WWD