The Lanvin aesthetic is a well-established idea, positioning the wearer somewhere between 'smart off-duty' and looking casuagl in a formal situation. Lucas Ossendrijver has found that vacuum between those two ideas where his sharp tailoring in off-beat colours and unusual shapes fit perfectly. Often there's a shiny touch to the materials, the cut extreme in either an oversized fashion or made to fit snugly. On top of that, quite literally, Lanvin likes an extravagant hat of some sorts. For their A/W12 collection, Ossendrijver and Alber Elbaz, Lanvin's creative director, once again delivered on all those points. 

"It's a man on a mission... but he's not going to the boardroom, he's on his way to the street and he's taking the Metro"

The suiting had sharp shoulders but the formality was downgraded by models wearing necklaces on top of roll necks underneath the jackets. Except for the usual suit pockets, jackets also featured a vertical pocket half way up the garment, not unlike a pea coat. Throughout the show, the trouser silhouette was high-waisted, giving the models a tall and slim silhouette, helped by darted suit jackets. To contrast this look, Ossendrijver also sent out voluminous coats, jumpers and jackets, giving the collection a range of different contours.

"It's not about wearing a uniform, it's not about war - but there is a sense or urgency, he's running somewhere"

Tailcoats were a fairly new element to the Lanvin look, but worked nicely with some of the hyper modern garments such as bomber jackets components in coats. The colour palette was typical Lanvin; beige, brown, navy and burgundy. In a twist to the show, at least from a graphic perspective, coats, trousers and tops in a wide stripe pattern appeared on the catwalk, either orange and brown or the more subtle blue and grey combo. 

Dazed Digital: How would you describe the collection?
Lucas Ossendrijver: It's a man on a mission... but he's not going to the boardroom, he's on his way to the streets and he's taking the Metro. It's a about suits for a new generation.

DD: Some pieces seemed to be made out of quite hi-tech fabrics...
Lucas Ossendrijver: There's a lot of technical research inside of the garments... bonded fabrics with neoprene, silicone inserts, neoprene inserts etc. We mixed all those techniques to make individual suits. It's not about wearing a uniform, it's not about war - but there is a sense or urgency, he's running somewhere. We also have new white sneakers this season to go with that. Very colourful - it's important to be optimistic!

DD: There was a coat that looked like it was made out of a bomber jacket parts?
Lucas Ossendrijver: Yes, it's two jackets, you can turn it inside out and wear it either as a coat or a jacket.

DD: There's a lot of volumes - big and small - in the collection...
Lucas Ossendrijver: It's all about cuts and the opposite shapes, like the narrow waist and something oversized on top, playing around with proportions...

DD: Is there a piece that sums up the collection:
Lucas Ossendrijver: Difficult to say, but I love the stripey and colourful pieces... The T-shirt with orange leather applications. It's bright and optimistic, something you can wear with boots and jeans. It's a quite street direction for us...