On September 25th, LANVIN presented its SS15 collection at Paris Fashion Week. 2014 marks the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Maison by Jeanne Lanvin. "We started by revisiting the brand's 125-year heritage, past, and story," said Artistic Director Alber Elbaz.
The first half featured a series of dresses with beautiful drapes made from straight fabrics reminiscent of Art Deco style. Darts and seams were eliminated, and the tailoring was extremely minimal. The fabric flexed lightly, creating a graceful expression with movement. The jacket styles that followed also had a simple and relaxed feel. "I asked myself about today's lifestyle and what modern women need. The internet has led to a tendency to design things that look cool on screen but are uncomfortable in real life. This season, I stepped away from the screen and walked the streets with my team, and we decided to pursue simplicity. What we needed were beautifully tailored navy long gowns, ivory T-shirt dresses, tailored suits, and raincoats." The waist is cinched with a wide, sash-like belt. Decorative details such as slit lace, zippers, gold trim, and luxurious accessories add spice to the look, all of which are taken from Elbaz's own archives. In the second half of the collection, decorative elements were added to the textiles. Romantic lace and gorgeous jacquard prints appear to have been taken from the house's archives. The pearl embroidery on the lace dress is likely a homage to Madame Lanvin, who was one of the earliest fashion designers to incorporate the trompe-l'oeil technique of weaving pearl patterns into knitwear. The gold jacquard and prints used on coats, dresses, skirts, etc. evoke the history of the Maison, which also operated an interior design business.
"As I gathered the essence of the Maison, from the famous fragrance Arpege to the colors like black, gold, and blue, and the patterns on the dresses, I realized that Lanvin was the first lifestyle designer. It's all about 'nothing' and pursuing beautiful cuts and finishes."
The models wearing the designs also represented the brand's history, appearing to represent all ages. The presentation was reminiscent of the brand's logo, which depicts a mother and daughter.
