As Bouchra Jarrar’s second womenswear presentation for the house, the Lanvin AW17 collection fused the androgynous with the feminine and the elegant with the practical.
Under the arched and gilded ceiling of the Salon de l’Hôtel de Ville, showgoers were greeted first with model Vittoria Ceretti in a loosely cinched dress with a chest grazing ruffled collar and sheer lace sleeves. The only relief of her head-to-toe blush was found in her black snakeskin ankle boots, replete with a pointed-toe and silver chain along the edge of the sole. The look, in one fell swoop, signaled the juxtaposition of everyday and extravagant that would accompany the rest of the show.
Jarrar repeatedly injected edge into the otherwise refined collection by pairing work appropriate pantsuits and organza skirts with fishnet stockings and lace-up snakeskin sandals. Her use of leather in trousers and suit jackets added structure to looks punctuated by loose blouses in silk and chiffon, while moto-inspired pieces peeked out from beneath a white shag vest and between the ruffles of a showstopping sleeveless slip.
The collection saw no shortage of texture with fur jackets and silk chemises speckling the runway, and birds of a feather lining the lapels of various jackets. Gilded with rhinestones, the birds were also seen meeting at the beak to form a chain belt and adorning delicate chokers with pearl drop accents.
Similar belts and accessories nearly stole the show, with chain crossbody bags paired two at a time over skirts and lace shirting while skinny ribbon-like belts fastened with interlocking fauna motifs sat mid-waist on various styles of trousers and slim-fitted slacks.
Suiting and separates, two of Jarrar’s signatures, played a heavy hand this season overall. Skinny mid-waisted trousers were worn belted over lace pussy bow blouses while billowing jumpsuits in shades of blush and black left necklines plunging under coordinated overcoats. Slim fit jackets were worn throughout in varying lengths and neutrals, though some saw Jarrar experiment with embroidery in the form of delicate blossoms rendered from red palettes and silver sequins lined with blue diamond stitching.
While the show featured overtly feminine eveningwear, most notably with dresses in layered lace and twisted black chiffon and satin, most of the collection focused on daywear and, with each trouser-clad leg, took a step away from the brand’s previous image. Monochromatic with a soft elegance and ever-present wearability, the collection paid homage to Jarrar’s Jeanne Lanvin and the modern woman who seeks to wear her clothes around the clock. It may not be what lovers of Lanvin’s previous creative director, Alber Elbaz, had come to expect from the formerly fiercely feminine and playfully glamorous brand, but it’s consistent with Jarrar’s new direction and her shift to daywear, separates, and subtlety.
Photos: vogue.com