Lanvin Loses in Paris
Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 11:25PM 
An original Lanvin sketch by Jeanne Lanvin herself
Yes, it was a polished, clean, and put together collection. And sure contained some of the it-styles this season, such as rompers loose pleating, flow, and over-designed sequined clothing. But the Lanvin 2010 Paris Fahion Week Show lacked the ingenuity and creativity 2010 should have brought.
2010 was not a boring year in the fashion world. Gucci interested us with their harness, prints and warrior-meets-office style. DKNY grabbed our attention with their fabulous prints, black and white and color. Celine, which made its comeback this year, roused us with the use of dulled yellows, oranges, and browns combined with military style clothing and, of course, their clean lines. Burberry Prorsum engrossed us in their draping, belts, fitting, and shoulder pads. And Ralph Lauren's roots in the Bronx displayed themselves creatively in a vintage-style, yet new, preppy collection, as he was inspired by the Great Depression during these times of financial hardship.
But Lanvin lacked this essence of new ideas that the other design houses maintained. Ot was dry and had overdone pieces. There was no innovation.
Lanvin was founded in 1909 by Jeanne Lanvin, a milliner and dressmaker by trade. Lanvin's outfits for her daughter, Marguerite, were so exquisite that the wealthy asked for replicas so that thier own children could wear such fine clothing. Soon enough, she was a mother daughter designer. She also became known for her robes de style jumpsuit, a dress that had a full skirt and a more fitted bodice. Lanvin continued her conquest of the fashion world with boutiques filled with deoc, menswear, fur, lingerie, and perfume.
She was a creative chico whose clothing embodied detail, volume, and many accessories. I can only wish that this fashion show could have gone back to its roots like Mr. Lauren's did.
The making of the clothing was impeccable. They had all the right fabrics. The outfits' hems all hit the right places. The necklines were right where any neckline had ever been. THAT WAS THE PROBLEM!
This show was, if I may, boring. There was no "wow factor". There was no moment of "ohmygosh, can I that?" It was just clothing, on models who were walking down a catwalk. It doesn't even deserve the title of runway because it didn't personify what fashion is. It was clothing, not fashion.
Many of the pieces were uninspired while some were over inspired. There was one piece that looked like a near copy of a Donna Karan suit. One had a beautiful, flowing top, but the bottom had something weird going on in every single place. And I also felt bad for the model: there was only one sleeve. There was definitely reminiscences of BCBG Maz Azria's use of bold stripes. But only if there had been more color and prints.
And the accessories were a nightmare! I believe I saw a necklace had ceramic snakes on it!
There were only two outfits that I found striking. The first was a blue dress with loose pleats, drapery, flow, and a small collar that rested on the shoulders. On one side it was sleeveless and the other had a beautiful long sleeve that hung perfectly.
The other was an one shoulder black dress. Instead of an ordinary "Grecian" lay, there was a giant ruffle at the neckline. It was fitted, and the hem hit the model's leg in the perfect spot. I also loved that, like the other dress, on one side it was sleeveless and other it had an elbow length sleeve. And they accessorized it with a black leather glove that completed the look.
Overall it was average and weak, not presenting anything new. If only Ms. Lanvin were still alive to help her design company.
Reader Comments (2)
Jeanne Lanvin invented fashion. I am insulted to see that people have ruined her legacy by putting out these collections.
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