Elite Traveler May-June 2015

JESSICA MICHAULT HAUT HIPPIE

elite traveler MAY/JUNE 2015 ISSUE 3 61

The decade loved above all others in fashion is the 1970s. Maybe because the fashion-forward offerings were often handcrafted at home. Outfits were found in thrift stores, stolen from a boyfriend or liberated from a mother’s closet and reconstructed into something new. This sartorial freedom of expression, free of commercial constraints or cultural demands, is what today’s designers strive for with their work Instead of a simple finale, Van Noten had his models lounge across the carpet, like a hippie sit in, as guests got to enjoy close up the masterful mix of prints and fabrics the designer had blended together. But Van Noten wasn’t the only one looking to that rebellious era. At Gucci, in what would be her final show for the brand, Frida Giannini ticked all the 1970s boxes, showing fur vests, military accented pieces, suede dresses, denim looks and Asian print ensembles. Resulting in a very strong swan song for the designer at the house. Most designers steered clear of references that were too literal for comfort. Instead, they cherry- picked the best iconic looks, silhouettes and shades of the era and updating them with contemporary twists that gave each take a modern lease on life. The hippie chicks looked particularly appealing on the Emilio Pucci, Chloé and Etro catwalks. London- based rocker babes moved to the 1970s beats set down by Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent, Tom Ford and Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton. In her debut collection as the head designer at Sonia Rykiel, Julie de Libran breathed life back into the brand by referencing the heyday of the house. In a handwritten note left on each seat, de Libran talked about how she had “happy childhood memories of my mother wearing Sonia Rykiel”, and coming to the house “felt curiously like a homecoming”. She then sent out a collection that honored the heritage of the past, both in its sartorial codes and also its feminist spirit. So let yourselves go. Embrace the relaxed beauty of this trend. And, remember that besides its feminine style and romanticism, the great attraction of these pieces is that because designers love the 1970s so much, any retro look will never go out of rotation in your wardrobe.

TAKE FLIGHT

In keeping with the 1970s vibe is Van Cleef & Arpels’s new Jour Nuit

Oiseaux de Paradis watch. Part of the brand’s Poetic

Complications line, it features an enameled bird of paradise that moves around the watch as the hours pass. At nightfall, the flower disappears to make way for a diamond moon.

This season’s summer of love is a mélange of ideas that see designers creating pieces for modern day Joni Mitchells. Women who trek to Coachella for the music festival, wish they lived in the hills of Laurel Canyon in California and dream of a boho existence where peace and love are all they need. Leading the designer pack was Dries Van Noten. He created one of the most memorable sets of the season. The bucolic scenery consisted of a shaggy green carpet to represent a mossy meadow. On it his models appeared in a rich mix of elegant fabrics cut in fluid silhouettes designed to float about the body whenever Van Noten’s women happen to be compelled to move with the music. “It’s a girl who loves festivals -- Glastonbury, Burning Man -- and she loves nature and she doesn’t follow rules, so she puts on clothes that she wants,” explained the designer.

Ticking all the boxes Gucci

Rock to the 1970s beat Saint Laurent

Move with the music Dries Van Noten

SEEING IS BELIEVING The highly respected London retailer Browns has decided to back a talented young woman named Alice Archer. Once an embroidery designer for Dries Van Noten, Archer’s impressive work uses rich embroideries that are then hand layered with prints of famous works of art. The results are garments with a three-dimensional appeal that point to a designer with a wealth of talent. Her first nine-piece demi couture collection, which will include coats, skirts and kimonos, have an average retail price of around $3,500 and currently will be sold exclusively at Browns in London.

Photos: Indigital Images