Givenchy F/W 2018
Clare Waight Keller as a designer used to be all about the day. Her Chloe woman was always exploring new frontiers and her design inspirations were often feminist motorcycle riders or other adventurous type gals. They were not too sexy but always brainy and looked like the lived a full and long day because they slept at night. Already with her teaser campaign by Steven Meisel featuring a black cat, Waight Keller was telegraphing that she was now ready to explore her naughtier side and make clothes for evening and night. In fact, a clear and clever concept. And with this new co-ed collection, her second for the house, shown at Palais de Justice on a rainy Sunday morning she pleased the editors of this Berlin based magazine by taking a trip through Berlin nightlife via her collection. The soundtrack featured a radio speaker announcing a party summit in East Germany with deep baselines as foundation.
With her F/W 2018 collection Clare Waight Keller shows that the is joining the Fur-Free-Club!
Fake fur?
While we see more fur than ever on the fall runways, Waight Keller is of the politically correct school and only uses fake. Her opening look was fox colored with black stripes insinuating that the woman was naked underneath and only showed her ankle booties with long zippers followed by two more big volume coats on regal black beauties. The element of protecting her woman as she wanders through the night was apparent in the entire line-up.
In her own words?
“I wanted to start with a really protective look like fur and then slowly undress this woman with flashes of lingerie and a make her a little bit sleazy.” Well, it’s not often that a designer manages to give the word sleazy a good spin. We would call it subversive sex instead.
Leather Domination: the Givenchy F/W 2018 collection included several eye-catching leather looks.
The new Givenchy fetish fabric?
Clearly, it’s all about leather now. Lots of it in black as in pants, giant anoraks with cut off sleeves and lots of cool bombers for men.
The ending?
Waight Keller saved some of the best for the end when it became clear that Givenchy is an Haute Couture house. One look in black and white featured a giant black bow around the torso and the finale of cascading ruffle dresses in shiny fabrics concluded the story of a woman’s journey through the night: Now she was on the dance floor.
A black knee length dress with giant leather bow on the front, pointed leather boots with zips.
