Chloé

“The past belongs to museums, the present belongs to the street.” That’s the slogan of a Citroën ad campaign currently invading France’s public spaces. But retro wasn’t a problem at Chloé. In the program notes of her terrific show, Hannah MacGibbon cited menswear as her main inspiration. But it was difficult not to see 1970’s Lauren Hutton, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren—and even Michael Kors—in the camel coats (some hooded), Freja’s outstanding jumpsuit, snug turtlenecks, knotted blouses worn with high-waisted pants and mannish trouser suits. And the designer’s eschewing of eveningwear suggested a modern attitude. As the international show season reaches the home stretch, a new minimalism is emerging as the big story for fall, seen not just here, but at Marc Jacobs, Céline, Prada and Givenchy. By tackling the relaxed yet feminine American sportswear of the seventies—Chloé’s heyday—MacGibbon made the trend all her own.

Leave a comment