The Fashion Dames: Vivienne Westwood & Sonia Rykiel
@ 8:41 am March 2, 2008Filed under: Paris, Runway Shows
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PARIS, Mar 2, 2008 / FW/ — When it comes to longevity in the business, no one can question Vivienne Westwood and Sonia Rykiel’s staying power. Both started approximately 40 years ago, and fashion had never been the same since then.
Vivienne Westwood
Entitled ‘Chaos Point’, Vivienne Westwood loosely collaborated with a group of Nottingham school children who were instructed to imagine what they would wear if they were freedom fighters living in a jungle.
And like what the title suggested, it resulted to a chaotic collection in a cacophony of sizes, shapes and proportions that makes one say, HUH?
Alright, the audience was actually mesmerized, even entertained with a model on stilts wearing a mannish striped suit; even the facial markings are cute (the children’s equivalent of camouflage). But, truly, even the most fashion forward fashion victim will not wear the ankle-length beige frock with a gold apron printed with school children artwork usually seen on pavements, finished off with a drab-olive short cropped jacket with long-sleeves on one hand and short on the other.
Of course, some would say that the outfits were just made for the runway; alright, that’s understandable in some level. But, to what purpose, really? It’s not for the drama, or to show the innovations that the designer did, or even a museum piece (these are the usual reasons for creating pieces just for the runway.)
I’m actually a big fan of Dame Vivienne Westwood, even supports her political mutterings on the runway. But this collection is truly disappointing in my eyes.
Sonia Rykiel
The atmosphere at Sonia Rykiel was the exact opposite of Vivienne Westwood’s show. If the British designer’s runway was filled with musings of school children, Sonia Rykiel’s was all grown up.
With the house’s signature knits on 1980s inspired silhouettes, Sonia Rykiel designer Gabrielle Greiss sent out A-line mini dresses in mohair that were proposed as prints, stripes or in solid colors of black or purple.
A graduate of Central Saint Martins, it seems the Greiss has breathed in a new life at Sonia Rykiel’s. Though the house faltered during the 1990s, Sonia Rykiel herself staged a revival on her own house when the 2000s rolled around.
With the addition of Gabrielle Greiss two years ago, it looks like Ms. Rykiel made another good decision. Change is in the air at the House of Sonia Rykiel, as three women took their bow at the end of the show – Sonia Rykiel, her daughter Nathalie and Gabrielle Greiss.
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