WE’VE come a long way since sneakerheels and boho jackets, was the declaration at Isabel Marant in Paris on Sunday. Marant’s signature boho was noticeably absent, perhaps signalling a change of wind for a brand so youthful and versatile. The Isabel Marant woman, formally the last word in effortless cool, seems more daring – and refined – than ever in her sartorial choices.
It was a slight shock to the system to see a parade of muted burgundies, blacks and greys peppered with pillbox reds so bright the front row was surely shielding their eyes. But the overwhelming feeling as the last model closed the show was one of slight bemusement. The problem? It simply doesn’t feel Marant enough, partly due to the un-Frenchness of it all. More British-inspired fabrics and patterns dominated the usual Gallic inspirations, bringing with it a rigidness.
Sure, a leather miniskirt will always be Marant, but paired with a tweedy red zip jacket, the look feels more Saint Laurent than anything, a label usually drowning in 90s London grunge references. Maybe the collection is a powerful move onto stronger and more diverse era for the still young label, evolving just as Isabel herself does.
Or maybe her loyal fans will be left clinging to the Aztec reliability of previous seasons, praying for a return to form. What happens next at Isabel Marant will be closely anticipated after a year of change, but there’s no doubt it will be different.
by Thomas Marrington