Marithé + François Girbaud: Past, Present, and Future
By Mari Davis
(Photo by Javier Mateo)
PARIS, Oct 8, 2003/ FW/ --- For those who are old enough to remember, it is already a distant memory when it was a known fact in the fashion industry that François Girbaud had dreams of being a rock & roll musician.
The music industry’s lost was and has always been the fashion industry’s gain because François Girbaud became one of fashion’s best innovator.
Always ahead of his time, François Girbaud introduced the front pocket jeans way back in the mid-1960s. Before street wear became en vogue, the designer has been creating them and showing them on the runway.
This season, François Girbaud continues to be an innovator with his “Futur Reflexion” collection shown today at the Louvre.
“Reflections from yesterday, flirt with the future, amalgamating influences over time and culture,” the designer said on his show notes.
And what an amalgamation it was! Denim became fluid and feminine when mixed with hand wrought garments.
The humble cotton was interwoven with threads of silver while slips teased into sporting lingerie.
Leather became a canvass with stitching and embroidery. Prints were stenciled and creased to fit.
Familiar elements became new with unexpected adornments. Noble garments of overskirts and tabliers were sandblasted to a chlorophyl green.
Overheard at the show before the runway presentation started were two Australian buyers who attended Girbaud for the first time.
The first one claimed that his son told him that he should attend Girbaud because “that’s what all the kids in my school are wearing.”
The other buyer said, “Then this show is worth a try.”
On the way out after the show ended, the two Australian buyers were again overheard saying, “My son is right mate. This collection is hot.”
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