Fall has marked the return of live events for the various Fashion Weeks, or as the blogosphere put it, Fashion Week has gone from URL to IRL (in real life).
The ultimate, of course, is Paris Fashion Week, which just wrapped with the usual boldface names and cityscape spectacles presenting their Spring Summer 2022 collections and more than a few twists.
After 18 months of yoga-panted lockdown, sexy was back. Bare midriffs, minis, cutouts, cutoffs, unitards and bathing suit-style outerwear claimed creations ranging from Chanel’s classic bouclé to Stella McCartney’s eco-friendly midis. If the divine is in the details, this was the place to find it, including helmet-style headgear and 3D-style glasses at the Louis Vuitton show and sandals by Loewe that featured heels in the shape of cracked eggs and bottles of brightly colored nail polish. Talk about making the most of a pedicure.
Last month, as the Big Apple welcomed the in-person return of New York Fashion Week, the vibe was similarly fun and flirty. Designers were ready to let their creations party with romantic, cutout midi dresses in floral silks and silk brocades, sequined ginghams, embroidered linens, tuxedo wool jumpsuits, vibrant suits and animal prints, figure-hugging space-dye knits, ruffle necks, sequined pencil skirts, and crepe maxis.
Fashion hasn’t been confined to just runway or the gallery. It has returned to the red carpet with a vengeance, perhaps most strikingly in Jenny Packham’s inspired collection celebrating the last appearance of Daniel Craig as Bond, James Bond in “No Time to Die.” Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge – no stranger to Packham’s creations – wore the collection’s gold mosaic cape dress, a goddess moment that was simply to die for to the London premiere. Royal watchers have anointed this appearance – a homage to Diana, Princess of Wales’ silvery turn at the 1985 premiere of Bond film “View to a Kill” – as the moment when Kate revealed herself to be truly a future queen. In a word, “magical”.
Tags: Paris Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Jenny Packham, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Diana, Princess of Wales, Daniel Craig, “No Time to Die”