KEEPING in line with past collections and their monochrome direction, the AW18 Guy Laroche show began with an abundance of cream, white, and black hues. The introduction of purple, blue and gold, however, was a welcomed addition and a subtle hint of what lays in the future for the design house. Doubling the collection to a total of 35 looks was a brave move for head designer Richard René who has described himself as the “radical minimalist” in the past. The Aw18 collection was far from this definition. Ranging from tailored suits to evening gowns to sports luxe, the show encompassed a mass of references and themes.
Jodhpurs and a modern take on the driver glove provided the sports energy to the collection, flowing gold and black chiffon material added the elegance, and finally, the buttonless nylon jackets and dresses with large shoulders encompassed smart power dressing. This season René played with prints. Black and white messy stripes graced the runway in the form of dresses, jackets, and coats and trousers, gold paint drips splashed on the neck of a turtleneck dress, and gold cubic and geometric shaped were stamped onto dresses.
Make-up was disjointed, and hair was messy, both cleverly used to match the asymmetrical hems and uneven sleeves. Designed whilst keeping the edgy and daring woman in mind, each piece was modern and unlike any other ready-to-wear separates we have seen at Paris Fashion Week so far. The lanyard necklace with a gold foil pendant the size of your head contributed to this vision. Finishing the show with the furry black glitter mini dress and matching tailored long jacket and shoes created a bold and textured look that embodied luxury and liberty at once. René’s AW18 collection successfully paid tribute to Guy Laroche’s legacy as a bold and free designer.
by Lily Rimmer