Daily Front Row

2008 June 16

Lanvin - Resort 2009

Lanvin Resort 2009
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(NEW YORK) Alber Elbaz quite likes the idea of “unperfect.” For his resort collection, the Lanvin designer sketched with the idea of a year-round Lanvin woman in mind. “I don’t know any lady who cruises,” he quipped. “So this is cruise, but in a twisted way.”

That frame of mind (“grand” is how he put it) translated into an aesthetic that combined whimsy with rigidity, all infused in thirties glamour meets American sportswear. Lots of pink and polka dots (the latter in the form of oversized pailettes) emerged as bright hues in an otherwise tonal collection of beiges and blacks. While twisted chiffon dominated, an effortless white summer suit was a breath of fresh air, and Elbaz warrants applause for his skill in the art of the seamless drape. A stunner was a cobalt blue gazar dress made entirely of one piece of fabric. “There are no seams, even though I love seamstresses,” he smiled. An equally memorable number was a black crepe ensemble with a bias-cut skirt and top--another example of his scarf-like drape.

Gazar shoes, garlands made from flowers, duchesse satin bags and adaptations of men’s wardrobes round out the collection, topped off by a series of delightful T-shirts utilizing Elbaz’s cartoon-like postcard sketches (paired with dramatic silk skirts). “It’s so that my client, when she sees the price, understands the cost,” he said. “They don’t scream, they squirm.”