Christophe Lemaire FW2013/2014

[Joh@n]

[Joh@n]

[Joh@n]

[orphée]

I must admit, I know almost nothing about this designer besides that he has been picked up -- at least the men's collection -- by some SZ-affiliates....I suppose I could do some research, but I would rather just express my initial reaction: I do indeed like the Cloak-esque silhouettes transposed on the female body (Nos. 10 and 13 above, if I am not mistaken). I also find the width of the trenches (below the belt) flattering. The cropped trouser lengths unfortunately make the accompanying boots look almost shrunken, which does not appeal to me. Perhaps it is just the camera angle, or perhaps shrunken feet are appealing to a certain audience. I also like the pale yellow ochre Mao jacket and trousers with the tiny -- Vrandecic-style -- belted hip case. It has a vibe that is at the same time Orwellian, janitorial and cruise ship upper deck, which I find a very interesting juxtaposition.

A couple of other looks are a bit 'domestic', such as the look following the Mao outfit, but the look after that, with the blue and yellow and ochre shirt and black trousers is very smart. Without digressing, I find many of these pieces interesting and wearable.

[rider]

Thank you for such a great review orphee. I learned a lot from your insight and clearly see every point you made.

[Faust]

This is great. No need to see this through SZ goggles. Lemaire is an accomplished designer who has spearheaded Hermes. I love that he toned out the 80s silhouette here - the coats divine.

[interest1]

Reminds me of newer Dries and older Branquinho – and I mean that in a very good way.
Cohesive and easily wearable, with a subtle twist.

[fncyths]

I absolutely love Lemaire! I have a few pieces and the cut is quiet exquisite. Everytime I wear them I feel like I'm in a Wong Kar Wai film. It's retrofuture romanticism at it's finest.

[safeword123]

lovely and youthful, has "girl-meets-boy" kind of vibe, only he did it much better than J.W. Anderson. and do i also see a bit of AFV in here? the set is fantastic.

Tim Blanks' review below

Christophe Lemaire says he thinks of his clothes in context, so the venue for his shows is important. Today's was an old printing works, and its perfectly proportioned theatricality made an apt backdrop for a presentation whose subtle drama had something of the stage about it. Lemaire has distilled his fashion formula for both men and women to seven key elements: overcoat, blouson, suit, pants, sweater, boots, belt. If that sounds like death to free creative rein, the designer managed to produce, within those strictly defined limits, a collection that was filled with character.

Last season was so intimate that Lemaire felt like taking Fall outdoors. Outerwear—oversize, mannish coats, some with a strong military caste—was the spine of the presentation. The rest of the clothes, a few incongruous printed pieces aside, took their cue from the coats. Lean, high-waisted pants, strong-shouldered jackets, and Mao-ish combos defined the reductive essence of Lemaire's proposition. The soundtrack—it evoked an Anna Karenina-like meeting on a train station platform, with Françoise Hardy's smoky, lovelorn vocal accompaniment—drenched the whole thing in thwarted romance. And as always there were the subtly decorative accessories—the tiny immaculate leather bags steam-molded by Florentine artisans—to suggest the rich inner life of Lemaire's women.