Paris Fashion Week: Seasonless dressing makes a comeback for Fall 2014

Christian Dior Fall 2014
Photography by Peter Stigter
Christian Dior Fall 2014
Photography by Peter Stigter

See the looks from Paris Fashion Week Fall 2014 »

There has been talk of seasonless dressing for, well, seasons, but at Friday’s shows and appointments, it seemed as though designers were foregoing traditional winter palettes and shapes in favour of short sleeves and sherbet shades. Don’t get me wrong, there were still plenty of furs, leathers and heavy wools, but arming ourselves against the raw winter elements is seeming less and less important. Maybe it’s because when these clothes start filling the racks in late August, the thermometer still reads 30 degrees? Whatever the reason, I’m calling out the springer side of fall shown here at Paris Fashion Week.

More than half of the looks in Roland Mouret‘s 41 look Fall 2014 collection were sleeveless (and I’m not even counting the short and sheer sleeved outfits). Among them were crop tops, exposed shoulders and mesh-panelled backs. The lightness of feather appliqués also seemed like a typically fair weather detail.

At the Rochas showroom re-see, what had at first glance on the runway appeared to be an unbelievably heavy, cumbersome collection, turned out to be quite the opposite. Light as air lame tops had the illusion of being much weightier. Embossed crepes had masqueraded as what I had originally thought were brocades. And boiled wool coats dresses and skirts were given a lift from piglet pinks and soft sky blues.

The last few looks at Sonia Rykiel featured split sided, panelled tops and matching pencil skirts in ice creamy colours. Each look in the entire collection was styled with thick soled sandals and loosely unraveling braids in the models’ hair that were more surf more than ski.

 Even Raf Simons at Christian Dior showed short sleeve coats in shocking shades. Minidresses, cut outs and sheer beaded finale gown fabrics mean you’ll need to be dropped off at the door if you plan to wear them come winter.

More Style