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SS21; Major Moment | Lanvin
Fashion is a cyclic beast…this much we know…
…and for his fourth ready-to-wear collection, Bruno Sialelli looked backwards.
The SS21 muse, described as having “cinematic ladylike elegance,” Sialelli really aimed to capture the essence of Jeanne Lanvin.
It has been a rough ride for the house which, since the departure of Alber Elbaz in 2015 – after a 14-year tenure – has cycled through five creative directors.
And while it still may be a bit early to call, Sialelli seems to have found his stride.
The collection debuted in Shanghai, where the effects of the pandemic had been minimised and gatherings were not limited in size.
What came down the runway was a confident and easy aesthetic that celebrates the best of Chinese and French cultures and their love and appreciation for luxury and uniqueness.
In digging through the house’s codes, Sialelli noted, the archives are huge – as is expected for Paris’ oldest maison, a label that is currently 131 years old.
But, “Lanvin was at its strongest in between the World Wars. It became a huge company with hundreds of employees, ateliers, cosmetics, and everything,” so that became the starting point.
It was the roaring 20s! – an irony that was carefully considered.
The creative team noted that “it’s interesting to observe the pendants between the 1920s and the 2020s.”
And so these parallels became the focus of the collection.
“I wanted to make two eras collide, taking elegance, optimism and joie de vivre from Lanvin’s DNA.”
Sialelli focused on Lanvin’s iconic robe de style – a drop-waist silhouette – and Art Deco elements that were popular at the time, and sought to reinterpret these through a contemporary lens.
“Art Deco’s three words were order, geometry, and colour. I think it expresses something that’s interesting to re-contextualize today.”
And, perhaps serendipitously, the Art Deco movement was informed by Chinese techniques.
So these too were used in the lacquering, enamelling and egg-shell marquetry treatment of the garments, and with the reds and golds, popular in Chinese culture, the influence could clearly be seen.
Male and female models paraded the ornate and sharply tailored, romantic collection…
(Sialelli said it felt important to tell stories that include both genders)
….and the clothes were allowed to be the standout.
No heavy styling, no major production…just a solid collection with a lot of fantastic pieces.
To imbue such an established brand’s heritage with not only a contemporary, but also Asian nuances is no easy feat….but I would say Sialelli was successful.
Wouldn’t you?
See the rest of the collection here.
Enjoy!
xx
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