On a day when it felt like designers were routinely pondering the future, how to combat and face it with fashion, it was appropriate that Alber Elbaz, who always gives uplifting words post-show would have an answer.  “The world is changing.  It’s always a question of “Who’s next?” whether in fashion or the pop. That’s why I wanted to take the time to think. I wanted it to be very local. To go back to the preciousness, the emotion and the know how of the atelier. I wanted to show that couture is an experiment of forms, shapes, colours and fabrics and that it can be relevant. Is it bad or old?  Is there anything wrong with old?  Is it all about the new and the cool?”

That’s another designer who is fighting gloom with savoir faire and Elbaz is well-equipped to do so. Elbaz had license to run the gamut basically. A well-cut evening dress injected with volume in all the right places might be paired with mannish brogues. He pits steely leather pieces against frou-frou A-line florals. So what, if Elbaz wants to cover a satin dress with sequined butterflies or contrast asymmetrical full skirts with slinky skin-tight ones.  He can and he will. Elbaz can also do all of this with a bit of a literal wink, spelling out the words “Happiness, Cool, Heath and Love” on gold necklaces and loading up the models with “Shine and happiness” as he puts it. It’s everything and anything for the Lanvin aficionados.

www.lanvin.com 

Hair: Guido Palau

Makeup: Pat McGrath

Models pictured: Ji Hye Park-@JiHyePark0206, Julia Nobis-@JuliaNobis1, Catherine McNeil-@MeowcatMccat, Fei Sei Sun-@FeiFeiSunSun