Paris Dispatch: Christian Dior Echoes Human Behavior, Isabel Marant is Cool

A lot of the gravity of Paris Fashion Week has moved to the first half of the 9-day-long finale in Paris. It used to feel satisfying to arrive on Friday morning just in time for the Christian Dior show and power through the subsequent six days. But with such important new names as Jacquemus and Off White and Vetements, the recent shift in calendar from Chloé, who now shows on Thursday instead of Sunday, The Row’s decision to show in Paris as opposed to New York this season and Dries Van Noten’s unflinching propensity to call Wednesday, “his” — arriving just before Dior, like I did yesterday, won’t quite cut it for much longer.

For what it’s worth, though, starting on a note so high can change the way you approach an entire season. Raf Simons opened his Spring show for Dior yesterday, held at the Carrousel du Louvre, with a flimsy white cotton two-piece. There was a crop top and shorts, both scalloped, both plain. “There might be a simplicity in how the collection looks,” Simons said for the show notes, “but it is extremely complex in terms of the technique.”

This sentiment strung through the viable crop sweaters — some shredded, some scalloped — paired over a deluge of additional white linens — some mini, some mullet — that will no doubt sell out before the next Mediterranean vacation season. There were pointed-toe sling-backs and light weight Bar jackets, smart sweaters with slits down the front to reveal an open chest. Many of the models wore lurex turtleneck collars with chokers paired over them consisting of either the number 8 (for good luck) or the year 1947. A series of sheer striped sheaths were coupled with the same cotton under things, and there were a set of slip dresses toward the end of the show that had embroidery snaking across them in the shape of an interlocking “s.”

Easy to wear, no question, and beautiful in its lack of complication to look at. It was a strong collection — one that echoed a sentiment that is largely true about culture and human behavior today. We try to evince a sense of utter simplicity in how we operate that is disseminated through social media — women can do it all! Have the babies, run the companies, cook the dinner. Beyoncé woke up like this, so you should too. And here is my body containing 0% body fat. No big deal — what’s the problem? But what we see is really just what they let us see, right? What we let them see. Behind the frozen moments set in selfies and filters, proper execution is extremely complex in terms of its technique.

Isabel Marant has constructed a very particular looking woman. She has broad shoulders and lithe, long enough legs to feel confident wearing only harem pants. (Who needs to prove themselves with a short skirt, or dress, anyway?) Her shoes are always cool and while you don’t feel like you could pull off any of her clothes (lamé harem pants and a sheer ribbed turtleneck? What?), you still want them because she has them.

So that’s how you commodify cool.

On display yesterday were the usual suspects: boho tops, drawstring harem pants, lace up sandals and flimsy tanks. Also on tap were sequined leggings shown under jumpsuits and hot pants that will resonate with like, a quarter of a percent of the population but when they do, they will look so damn cool.

This was an interesting show to observe immediately following the case study in human behavior at Christian Dior, specifically given the sequins akin to the turtlenecks of the anterior’s Pre Fall collection, which were on display in the photo album of previous-season-looks worn on show attendants. I’m not sure how I feel about Isabel Marant anymore, but I know if we’re talking about simplicity vs. complexity, she’s got the former half down better than most.

Photographs via Vogue Runway

Feature collage by Elizabeth Tamkin

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