Paris Fashion Week: Isabel Marant and Cacharel’s Cedric Charlier, the new kids in town
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Beloved in France since 1995 for her effortless Left Bank boho style (and relatively affordable prices, in line with Phillip Lim and Alexander Wang), designer Isabel Marant is generating buzz across the Atlantic in a big way.
That’s thanks in no small part to her cuffed and studded, cone-heeled boots from last season, which sparked waiting lists around the world, and a stampede of knockoffs. Now that Marant is set to open a New York store next month, her profile is only going to continue to rise.
For fall, her collection was a throwback to the 1950s of ‘Grease,’ with models in high ponytails and cat’s eyeliner.
There were lots of cropped and fitted, cuffed jeans in solid blue, red and white, or covered in prints or iridescent sequins, suggesting that Marant could soon become a major player in the denim arena too.
The jeans were paired with leather jackets or sparkly sweaters and pointy-toed pumps with side bows. Other highlights: flirty sweater dresses cinched with leather sash belts, and metallic wrap skirts worn with silk utility shirts.
It was a cute show, even if she did hit the same note a few too many times.
Speaking of les jeunes filles, Cacharel has a new designer who is making serious waves, with 50 U.S. retailers picking up the line after just his second collection.
Cedric Charlier, who was Alber Elbaz’s right hand at Lanvin for six years, is on his way to transforming Cacharel’s signature brand of flowery sweetness into a look that’s relevant to urban sophisticates who need something to wear to work that’s not going to break the bank.
Baby rosette prints in dark, autumnal hues looked understated on boxy jackets, short skirts and softly tailored coats. Dresses and bubble skirts in silk prints with trompe l’oeil ruffles and folds were draped in the chic way you’d expect from someone who trained at Lanvin. Felted black sweaters layered over top, with tiny flower shapes punched through, added an edge.
Menswear-inspired Oxford lace-up shoes were also a hit, worn with black leather ankle socks for just the right mix of sweet and sass.
-- Booth Moore in Paris
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Top photos: Isabel Marant’s fall 2010 runway in Paris. Bottom photos: Cacharel’s fall 2010 runway in Paris. All credits: Peter Stigter & Jonas Gustavsson / For The Times
