Stop! Press! There wasn't a Liberty print present at the latest Cacharel collection nor was there in fact a discernable floral print. The loss, however, wasn't felt because with Cédric Charlier's fresh colour palette flooded the catwalk, first in sunset orange and then as a pinky flesh clean cut passage. The colours then blossomed into a brighter pink, an orange, a deep coral and yellow all in slightly preppy shapes such as knits that had a pronounced rolled v-neckline. On par with the season, it was a reaction to the sombre mood of last and a refreshing one at that. Playful perspex sunglasses, neon pouches and matching chunky shoes made the ensembles pop even more. Where prints did play a part, they had Kim Gordon to thank for the inspiration of abstracted florals which were painterly and smudged. These were worked into strapless dresses, shirts and pleated skirts and halter necks with a flash of bright ruffles worked down the front.
Dazed Digital: What prompted this rejuvenation of colour palette in the collection?
Cédric Charlier: It was about euphoricism. I found the atmosphere at the moment not right so I wanted an an aversion. I was thinking of an abstract dream where you're on a boat and you might see Yves Saint Laurent talking with Andy Warhol about pink and orange. Then you might see Kim Gordon talking to Grace Jones about 'la vie en rose'. It's about different periods so it gave me the intuition to do this collection.
DD: How did you build up the colour?
Cédric Charlier: I wanted this 'mounting of colour'. I began with this flesh colour because I like this idea of second skin - if you're happy in your skin, you're happy in your clothes.
DD: What was the thinking behind the shapes?
Cédric Charlier: The shapes - sometimes they're fluid and sometimes they are sharply cut. I think this is what I want to push along with the print. Sometimes with the print, sometimes you lose the construction.
DD: How did Kim Gordon's artwork influence the prints?
Cédric Charlier: It's not about taking prints directly from a book. I saw her work and I was thinking I like the feeling of her work. She contrasts reality and dreams and so in the prints sometimes you might see a flower, sometimes you won't. It's really about high energy.
