Paris Fashion Week: Dries van Noten and Rochas spring/summer 2013 collection

Paris Fashion Week: Dries van Noten and Rochas spring/summer 2013 collection


 It’s the final leg of fashion month and weary editors, retailers, photographers and bloggers descend on the French capital after attending a few hundred shows in the past few weeks in New York, London and Milan.

The weather greeting their arrival matches their mood as the spring 2013 collections take to the runways in Paris this week. Heavy dark clouds threaten all day, before finally the sky opens, unleashing a deluge on those scampering from show to show below.

Hardly unusual for Paris in late September. But what is remarkable — because fashion folk are not exactly known for embracing practical notions — is the sight of two guests at the Rochas showwith blue plastic bags wrapped around their expensive shoes to protect them from the torrent.

Watching them one had to wonder: are they really wearing zippy bags or is this some avant garde footwear?

Despite the gloomy weather, two shows, Rochas and Dries Van Noten, looked forward to spring 2013 with clothes that were ultra light and airy.

At Dries Van Noten, there are many elements at play, layered one upon the other. Textured fabrics created from clusters of rosettes or ribbons looked featherweight light. Van Noten took grunge tartans and plaids — usually an autumnal wool fabric but here, they are gossamer thin and sheer.

Some looks had a pyjama jacket or silk robe thrown over the whole thing. If this sounds like a mash-up — it is, but in the most poetic and charming way.

Later at Rochas, designer Marco Zanini, also go light, airy yet ultra feminine. Two shapes play off each other; 1950s style full skirts versus slinky slim fitting sheath dresses.

But Zanini keeps it from going all the way to Mad Men territory, throwing tough white boxing boots in the mix.