Chloé S/S 2019

In this day and age, when algorithms decide on what you see on your mobile screen and maybe what you buy at the cash register at Zara or H&M for example, it’s sad to see fashion or real fashion design surrender not to algorithms but to social media, which in return means algorithms. Many shows are only about logos, recognizable totems for the small screen to instantly make an impression all over the world. Ideally, lots of them in China.

So to stand out and have a voice and do something, which is not, what everyone else is doing takes guts. Sitting next to former Chloé designer Martine Sitbon yesterday morning at the Radio France Chloé show space, I asked Martine at the end of the show how she feels about Natacha Ramsay-Levi’s reign at Chloé so far. And she answered: “It’s fashion with guts”. That’s exactly right. After last season’s demanding exercise in cleavage revelation, which only a few women dare to engage in, this season Ramsay-Levi took us on another journey. This one around the Mediterranean with stops in Bodrum, Ibiza, Capri, Porto Cervo and wherever else there is a port for a cool girl. But apart from the inspiration it was a journey of not easy to digest silhouettes, tailoring details and fabric mixes which are the key ingredients for great fashion shows. Ramsay-Levi’s clothes are new, strong, based on design and dare to question the status quo. A great French fashion moment.

What’s special?

In Paris they have a word called boho. It means a mix of bohemian and hipster and it’s hard to put it in clothes or songs or movies. But Chloé is exactly that. You know it only exists in Paris, it’s cool and you want it. Silk paisley dresses with cool sandals and done up hair and sun kissed faces. Voilà, that’s the way girls from all over the world want to look like. Sitting across the Asian press section where every girl was head to toe in Chloé was impressive.

Chloé can rely on?

The shoes were great. Sandals with an exaggerated buckle looked new and will fly out of stores. The bags with a new C shape logo looked fresh and in general the hard goods department seems in good hands by Ramsay-Levi.

Her secret?

Whether using C.G. Jung or artist Rithika Merchant as inspiration, these clothes look like they come from a designer who is working hard, is having a monologue with herself and a dialogue with her studio. Maybe it help that she studied history and not design?

Favorite look?

Right at the beginning look 2 had it all. Silk bra top, flou skirt dress and that super cool marine rope belt with buckle worn with sandals.