PFW diary: Feminine wrappings at Calla, Nina Ricci and Roland Mouret

Date March 4, 2011

Where to begin. Last night, I took in a presentation by the lovely Canadian expat Calla Haynes, who loves to play with watery abstract prints in soft shapes. The models lined up before a row of potted flowers, then Haynes bashfully stepped in among them to take her bow.

Contrast that charming scenario with the following: dinner at Dave, a Paris fashion week haunt where the owner, Dave, scrutinizes you at the door deciding whether you are worthy of his mediocre Chinese cuisine then tells you what you are going to eat (there are no menus), and snaps if you ask any questions.

Somewhere in between there was a lovely, feminine Nina Ricci show where Peter Copping offered soft pink or blue suits with gathered collars and frilled waists. Copping’s skirts often had some sort of seam interest and coats wrapped like robes. Those are two trends we also saw this morning at Roland Mouret, although Mouret’s overall silhouette is much sleeker than Copping’s. Picture dove gray and pale blue crepe dresses with wide folds at the neck or scarf-like back detail. Mouret has so many pleat innovations that he is developing his own language! Cartridge pleats, arrow pleats, fan pleats, rosette pleats… His show notes also talk of the TTD ⎯tunic/top/dress ⎯a cute acronym for a piece that is emerging as a staple for fall.

On my way into Mouret, held at the aptly-named Grand Hotel, I bumped into another Canadian expat, Todd Lynn. We talked about the enormous pressure designers are under and how it is understandable that someone like Christophe Decarnin could wind up needing a hospital rest, a fact which came to light last night after he didn’t appear to take a bow at Balmain. Sad but true.

Oh, one more point: beware the coming of the palazzo pant. But more on that later…