Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Centre Pompidou in Paris welcomes between 3.5 and 3.8 million international visitors every year. Its double-height forum, an expansive space comprised of escalators leading to upper galleries and hanging illuminated signs, was also the location of Vetements’ A/W 2017 show, held for the second time as part of January’s haute couture schedule.
Two familiar sights at the Centre Pompidou, ‘Tourist’ – a male figure imagined in beige Bermuda shorts and a clear plastic raincoat – and ‘La Parisienne’ – a woman clad in a camel trenchcoat, pointed shoes and a printed silk-scarf – were just two of the stereotypes explored by Demna Gvasalia in his identity-focussed A/W 2017 men’s and women’s offering.
The show saw a range of street-cast models spanning ages and builds descending the escalators of the forum, imagined as characters including the leather coat clad ‘Metalhead’, padded parka wearing ‘Granny’ and the ‘Secretary’, imagined in a pencil skirt and high heeled pumps, modelled by the show’s stylist Lotta Volkova.
From deconstructed MA-1 bomber jackets patchworked together in maroon, grey, khaki and navy, to puffer-jackets in electric blue vinyl and plaid, Vetements’ A/W 2017 show saw its cult signature styles presented alongside newly developed silhouettes and fabrications. The collection also featured knee-length mink coats and a Chanel-like two piece suit, labeled with witty dotted cut-here scissor lines. Echoing the haute-couture predilection for showcasing bridal gowns, seen at both Ralph & Russo and Giambattista Valli, the show closed with a ‘Bride’, wearing a jacket and skirt with attached trackpants, with one of the layers of the skirt thrown over her head like a veil.
Dressed in a mink coat and cashmere polo-neck, clothing worn by the 'Milanesa' stereotype, explored new aesthetic territory for the brand
Signature silhouettes like puffer jackets were also seen on the runway, finished in electric blue vinyl
The show also featured a take on Chanel-inspired two pieces, and deconstructed MA-1 bomber jackets, a Vetements signature
The show closed with a Vetements' bride, a convention of haute couture runway shows, wearing a vintage embroidered tulle wedding dress
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Vetements website
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Vetements A/W 2015
