Paris Review: Spring 2010

Oh my...I just love Paris! The energy and the lights create the perfect background to all of the fashion that happens this time of year. This Paris fashion week was no exception to its predecessors, stunning from beginning to end. Here are some snippets of the trends I picked up on:

Color

Color on the runways seems to sway between minimal or absolutely exuberant. There were no in-betweens. For Color Anne Valérie Hash is a must see. She nailed it on the head, check it out:

What can I say? Wonderful! Amazing! Tres manifique! This was by far my favorite collection. It took Phoebe Philo's phenomenal collection for Celine from two seasons ago and brought it further into fashion's current direction. It was minimal, but soft, and large on skill and craftsmanship. It was above all things how a woman is going to want to look next season. Color and cut were both right. and were simply exquisite. Please note the color focused on what was aptly described as "make-up tones" on Style.com. Powder beige, blush, and slate completed a soft, focused palette.

Now, on the exuberant end (and in this case I don't mean just color), please note the following designers:

Manish Arora

Limi Feu

Zac Posen

I questioned not just the palettes these designer chose, but their overly exaggerated shapes. Seriously? I thought the 80's had come and gone. Twice now. Designers: y'all need to quit all your clowning around. No one wants to leave the house feeling like they're heading for the circus, and that's how these girls look. I was also disappointed in Limi Feu's decision to just create a strict palette of just black and whites. When they say "austerity measure" in Europe, I don't think anyone meant to take it quite that far. Otherwise from her a strong collection.

Print

Prints were almost non-existent on the French runways. The few exceptions included bits of graphic plaids here and there, and some snippets of snakeskin by Barbara Bui (the perfect evolution from last years leopard).

Overall I felt as if the cries for beauty and subtlety (Anne Valérie Hash, Barbara Bui) were right on the mark. The party dresses (from Zac Posen, Manish Arora) had a bit too much 80's attitude which has been done so many seasons now. They felt quite passé. Those looks need to walk right of that runway and walk far far away.

Sheen, Not Heard

Paul Smith Women

Pringle Of Scotland

Aquascutum

Through-out the London shows I had be getting a distinct feeling that people were telling a story about texture. And in between long bouts of bouclé and teddy-bear fur I could see how designers also swung the pendulum the opposite away. Those designers wanted things so smooth, the were shiny. The shiny seemed to take things all things tasteful into more exciting territory. I say shine on designers, shine on. All pictures Style.com.

Graphic Designs

Peter Pilotto

Clements Ribiero

Antonio Berardi

All these graphic pieces are going to give me writers block. What to do when everything seems pieced together into such graphic shapes? Hopefully At you can at least enjoy looking at the pictures. All pictures Style.com

Return To Simplicity

Antonio Berardi

Jaeger

Jonathan Saunders

There's something in the air. Think of it as a yearning for simpler times, an urge to get back to basics. With a number of designers in London and in New York exploring their roots, and simplifying color and silouette, you have to wonder. Whatever was going on the catwalks, it was an understatement. All pictures Style.com.

Going To Great Lengths

Marc Jacobs

Erin Fetherston

Tibi

After years of subjecting us to an overdose of too much bare leg, it was refreshing to see hemlines come down a bit. I found Tibi's printed version especially fresh. The new length helped contribute to the 70's vibe in the air. All photos Style.com.

Let the Sun Shine In

Zero Maria Cornejo

Marc Jacobs

BCBG

As if designers wanted to find one more way to brighten your day up, they included yellow in many of the presentations. Like the blue they used, it wasn't a color for the faint of heart. It was a brash, shocking yellow. It sometimes left models looking as if they swallowed the canary. All photos, Style.com.

Whole Lotta (Seventies) Love

Erin Fetherston

Tibi

Sophie Theallet

There were enough 70's references are enough to give a person Saturday night fever. Most went for the 70's rock-star sort of vibe, but it looked as if there were references to a night at the disco in a few places as well. Maybe this explains all the velvet? All photos Style.com.

Layering It On Thick

TSE

Charlotte Ronson

Michael Kors

Whatever is going to happen next fall, designers certainly aren't going to leave you out in the cold. They're telling you to pile it on, and are allowing you to look chic while doing it. Look at Michael Kors version of this trend. Only he could create a look where you're all bundled up and still looking glamourous. All photos Style.com.

Shocking Blue

Donna Karan

Charlotte Ronson

Elie Tahari

After colors trending warm for so long, it was refreshing to get a whiff of some blue. And blue it was, in on of the most saturated forms imaginable. It was literally electric to view this hue again. It's been a long time coming. All photos Style.com.

Animal Instincts

Elie Tahari

Donna Karan

Acne

Fur took every shape imaginable on the catwalk this season. From warrior girl tops (Karan), whimsical accent (Acne) and the ubiquitous coat (everywhere!) one may have felt like a heat of beasts had stormed the catwalk. And maybe they had. After all, aren't there many who would agree woman is the most magnificent beast of all? Listen to me roar. All photos Style.com.

Penny For Your Thoughts

Devi Kroell

Elie Tahari

Elie Tahari

Fashion week brought us enough copper to make Abe Lincoln jealous. Part wearable luxury, part of a movement back to mother earth (as far as the urge designers have had to use such a range of earth tones), this color may be as stunning as it gets. Like copper does with age, I'm turning green with envy over these clothes (tehehe). All pictures style.com.