These Lips Might Sink Ships...: Lanvin

Oh my dear blog, how I often neglect you and how very pathetic that I'm still working on the Fall 2011 shows. One thing that I can be proud of is that I've been productive and actually busy as of late, working hard and actually feeling motivated to do well in my classes. Having said that, I'm not here to talk about the life of a student, successful or otherwise.

Alber Ebaz's work for Lanvin is among my favorite to see every season, so much in fact that—in full-on snobbery—I correct people who pronounce the house as "Lan-vin," or at the very least, make sure I squeeze in a mention of it myself with an attempt at a French accent. I'm quite protective of my favorites, but that's another post, I suppose. The Fall collection opened rather quietly. Natasha Poly stood under a towering willow and began to walk in a wide-brimmed hat, a long coat, a high turtleneck, a short skirt, and an adaptation of a men's shoe, all of which was black. She carried a small black "ladybag" at her side. The only embellishment present was an enormous gold pendant. There was certainly a trace of the Quakers or perhaps the Amish or other rural religious community that I have little understanding of, heightened ever so slightly by the single braid that could be seen as she turned. The austerity continued through a large portion of the show, broken up by the heavy jewelry, slight details, and the sexiness of a bare leg pared with a mannish shoe. A different woman began to emerge as head-to-toe black looks adopted a reptilian skin or all-encompassing lace. Then came the gazar, a notoriously stubborn fabric that looked simultaneously flouncy and stiff. It's quite hard to explain, but I think it's absolutely enchanting. The way Alber sculpts the gazar, it's as if lightness and heaviness are harmonious despite being opposites. Another surprise was the rose prints, which provided additional whimsy to the collection. But it was the final section of dresses that gave way to the most playful and exuberant moment of the collection. Bright colors and volume that created a resolute bounce left me in wonderment. The journey from the austere opening to the unadulterated joy of the finale is a murky one, but I have little interest in finding the answer. The successful leap itself is something to marvel at.

Natasha Poly