Givenchy: Macdonald's Wayward Angels
Written by: Godfrey Deeny
Photos by: Gruber-FWD
Paris, Jan 22, 2002/ FWD/ --- The Spring/Summer 2002 Givenchy collection designed by Julien
Macdonald was themed around an angel.
But after viewing the 40-piece collection, it was hard
to imagine exactly where a celestial spirit would be able to wear the clothes.
One couldn’t really see Gywneth Paltrow, who made an angelically sparkling entrance through
a swarm of paparazzi, wearing one of the outfits, even at an awards show.
The star sat between Mario Testino and Helene Arnault, whose husband Bernard controls Givenchy
and a dozen other fashion labels in his luxury empire LVMH.
Arnault, who owns three couture houses including Christian Lacroix and Christian Dior, never
ceases to extol couture as a "fashion laboratory."
And at Givenchy this season, there was no shortage of ideas. The endless experimentation,
however, produced few happy results.
Ideas simply didn’t gel, like courtly, long-sleeved jackets with busy lace backs or the
multi-layered deconstructed jacket whose front was an inverted handkerchief.
Too many looks felt like something had been stuck on at the last minute – bows, ribbons, a
faux pinstripe jacket as a shoulder strap, and a gold wrap that entangled one model.
"It took courage to design the collection, but where will women wear them?" sighed one French
critic, exiting the show.
Julien did occasionally hit a high note – like Isabelli in a Moorish toga that blended from
brown to black.
And his experimenting did produce some beautiful clothes like gold painted satin jackets
and exactly cut bodices.
He’s clearly a talented designer, but he still has to find his way in couture.
It almost felt as if by calling on the angels for help, the Gods had turned against Macdonald.
First one model stumbled badly.
And then, to the intense horror of Jacquetta Wheeler, the
strap of the skinny dress she was wearing broke, exposing the supermodel down to her navel.
Showing aplomb, Jacquetta, scooped up the dress and stylishly made it down the runway, earning
her a hearty burst of applause.
More, almost, than Julien garnered at the show’s end.
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