Scene setting: For his second solo show, Olivier Theyskens chose as his location Le Train Bleu, the rococo, gold-rimmed and frescoed restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon. Parisians swarmed in gasping – curiously, most of them said they didn't even know the place existed – at the paintings on the walls and the ceiling, depicting typical French holiday destinations from the Alps to the Côte d'Azur. Guests were seated in peacock blue leather benches overlooking the wooden bar, wondering what to expect from the collection, given that the last one was shown in a minimal, pristine white cube.
Mood board: Last season, Theysken's collection was criticised for being too ‘tame’, ‘minimal’ and ‘wearable’. Did this change of scenery mean the Belgian designer had moved away from the Theory aesthetic and back to his dramatic Rochas years? Well, yes and no. While the collection was undoubtedly more audacious (taffeta ruffles, long coats and tulle mile-feuilles were joyfully present), there was a sense of realism to the whole affair, as exemplified by the cashmere sweaters – often worn under satin corsets – and the skinny brocade trousers (wearable and super covetable at the same time).
Best in show: Following an almost all-black first collection, guests at today's show were delighted when, early on, a pistachio green mini dress in stiff silk grosgrain made its appearance on the catwalk. It was followed by a long Edwardian-inspired coat in the same material but a clementine shade. But the highlight of the show was undoubtedly a theatrical black mid-calf ruffled taffeta dress, a good reminder of what the Theyskens can do. And exactly what we want more of.
Olivier Theyskens A/W 2017.
Olivier Theyskens A/W 2017.
Olivier Theyskens A/W 2017.
Olivier Theyskens A/W 2017.
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The new Frederic Church Center at Olana complements its leafy Upstate New York siteTour the Frederic Church Center for Architecture and Landscape, now open at Olana, a historic site in Upstate New York, courtesy of architecture studio ARO
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Out of office: what the Wallpaper editors have been doing this weekA week of jetsetting has seen the editors in Tokyo, Milan, Vienna, Miami, New York and drinking Guinness with Jonathan Anderson in London
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The Living Places experiment: how can architecture foster future wellbeing?Research initiative Living Places Copenhagen tests ideas around internal comfort and sustainable architecture standards to push the envelope on how contemporary homes and cities can be designed with wellness at their heart
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Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France FemmesMarking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
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Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu MiuIn this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
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Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear showsFrom giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
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Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Chanel A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s -
Y/Project A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Sacai A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Alexander McQueen A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s
