PFW diary: Gaga for Colette, Chanel and of course… Mugler!

Left: Lady Gaga shot by Marc Piasecki/Getty Images. Right: Coco Rocha shot by Eric Ryan/Getty Images.
Left: Lady Gaga shot by Marc Piasecki/Getty Images. Right: Coco Rocha shot by Eric Ryan/Getty Images.

I wish I could tell you that after a transatlantic red-eye and a nap, my first day in Paris started with something noble, like the sculpture exhibit by contemporary British artist Tony Cragg at the Louvre. But, heck, Colette and Chanel have teamed up to create an “ephemeral boutique,” conveniently around the corner from my hotel!

The spontaneous installations were spread out in an old garage just steps from the main Colette on Rue St. Honore. Vignettes mixed textured jackets from Chanel’s spring collection with neon Christopher Kane lace, and chunky Eddie Borgo hardware. Novelty pins included Karl Lagerfeld’s distinctive profile and gap-toothed red lips a la Lara Stone and Georgia May Jagger. The cutest item was a stuffed Coco doll, but at 1,200 Euros, she wasn’t coming home with me. My colleague sprung for a 5 Euro camellia macaroon and we called it a day. However, there’s always tomorrow: new merch and live demos will keep the shop fresh until March 10.

Window display at Chanel and Colette ephemeral boutique

We would have lingered longer but Twitterchatter had me certain that if we didn’t arrive three hours early for Lady Gaga’s appearance at Thierry Mugler we wouldn’t get in. While the show was well-attended there wasn’t the kind of frightening crush I had expected.

Inside the mood was church-like with hymnal music and gothic arches lining the runway. Then Gaga’s racing rythmns took over⎯including a debut of her new tune “Government Hooker” which went perfectly with the latex leggings, hobble skirts and cat woman leotards. The models’ hair rose stiffly from each ear lending a mythical aura to the dominatrix looks. Futuristic lashings included a lighthearted blue and molded wrist or shoulder pieces. Montreal model Rick Genest, aka Zombie Boy, who opened Mugler’s fall menswear show, appeared in a suit with amorphous cutouts.

This was Nichola Formichetti’s first stab at Mugler and he has at least one happy customer. According to Style.com, Gaga, whom Formichetti styles, bought the entire collection in every colour.

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