The happy season – what I liked at Paris Fashion Week SS18

(partnership with Mercedes-Benz #shesmercedes) “Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth / Because I’m happy”… I could have been singing this all the way to Paris shows this season. Because these days, I saw a lot of colours, happy moods and bold clothes. Paris Fashion Week SS18 was, after all, a season full of optimism.

I mean, it is kind of obvious that summer is going to be about colours and sun. But really, almost every collection I saw, almost every young designer I’ve visited, all presented colourful clothes, full of prints, fluids, easy to wear and fun to accessorise. Even the Romanian brand Mumur had some surprises: colours on their sexy pants and denim on their signature corsets (www.murmurstore.com). Wait and see! What else did I love?

First, the Rainbow collection from Swarovski – you could have all the shades in one spectacular ring or you could wear them one by one, in lines that follow only one colour (and the choices are quite plenty – from emerald green to pink and electric blue or even translucent – no colour). (www.swarovski.com)

Then, the funniest presentation, by far, was Mira Mikati. A pretty dark room in Hotel d’Evreux was transformed in a coloured skater playground. Logos everywhere, blue candy floss, music, sequins and fun. (www.miramikati.com)

Another day, another colours. Marimekko, the Finnish brand, had a super cool presentation. And it showed not only the clothes for Spirng/Summer 2018, but also the fabrics of the deco items that made the brand famous. I was just in love with floral printed dress. (www.marimekko.com)

Colours and a beach vibe I saw also at Leonard Paris. The colour palette was equally escapist, ranging from sunny yellow to cheeky orange, vibrant pink, ocean blue, frothy white, emerald green, and mother-of-pearl metallic tints. Polynesia’s lush flora contrasted with mathematical rigor : harmonious oppositions lead the way in Leonard’s Spring-Summer 2018 collection, which explores the tension between nature and nurture, instinct and education, control and pleasure. (www.leonardparis.com)

Following the trend, the 38th Parisian collection of ready to wear created by Fatima Lopes get its inspiration by the amazing and magical aestethic of Birds. The colours embrace each other in an explosion of bright and fruity colours such as raspberry, grapefruit, emerald green or red. Among Beach and Cocktails, the superposition of silk’s chiffon layers plays with the transparencies and engage the clothing into a game a see through which show only lightly the body shapes. (www.fatimalopes.com)

“Create love, not war. Stay strong. Be cool. And if it’s too loud, turn it up”: that was the manifesto of Johnny Talbot and Adrian Runhof for their “Flowers never fail you” collection presented at Paris Fashion Week SS18. Beautiful colours, a cool 70’s influenced silhouette and lots of flowers I saw on the amazing clothes presented by the creative duo. Completed with a beautiful array of fabrics as cotton, popeline, silk jacquard and shantung. (www.talbotrunhof.com)

Another type of fun was at Anne Sofie Madsen. Big goggles, utilitarian clothes, hand crafted flowers on the dresses – the Danish designer mixed the SF inspiration with some sporty vibes. (www.annesofiemadsen.com)

Japanese rigour. This season, I saw not one, but two beautiful Japanese collections in Paris. Cyclas (presented at Automobile Cub de France) had a catwalk full of pastels (yep, you heard it right) – light blue, soft pink and nude beige and the entire collection embodies timeless luxury interwoven with a refined femininity that express today’s values and simple elegance (www.cyclas-official.com). On the other hand, beautiful people (www.beautiful-people.jp), the brand that debuted last season at Paris Fashion Week, demonstrated us that a clothes could have two faces: wanna be funny or serious? Your choice.

The leather. At Jitrois. And that’s all. Beautiful. (www.jitrois.com)

The embroidered colourful fishes. “She’s curious and she likes dressing, and has had enough of fashion — that’s what I’m hearing”, the designer of Maison Rabih Kayrouz (http://maisonrabihkayrouz.com) said. And for spring, the house put rhinestones on a white silk jacket,in varying sizes and colours, including blue, green, pink and yellow.

GAUCHÈRE brought laces in various forms on shirts, dresses, tops and skirts. And pleated skirts with prints. And a silver coated jacket, black , white and creme, shades of blue, strong red and green. A collection like a midsummer dream. (www.gauchere-paris.com)

The beautiful shoes of the cool designer Walter de Silva. The blue line. The light shoes (every one of them has beloe 160 grams), sleek, sensual. The harmoniously sculpted stiletto heel, exclusively 10.5 cm high. To dream of.  (www.walterdesilva.com)

Unusual locations – Dumitrascu & Ottolinger. Last, but not the least, I should mention two unusual shows (both of them prepared by the same agency). While Dumitrascu (www.dumitrascu.de) was presented in the Rambuteau metro station (yes, in front of every passenger and between some trains coming and going), Ottolinger (www.ottolinger.com) took part on a bateau on the Seine. Cool.

And… not to forget the wonderful surprises that Paris offers us every day. Cool cars and new fashion stores.

Amazing clothes, but also dazzling stories of their brand’s development, personal achievements, mistakes, fears and goals. And these are the reasons that these stories could be included in She’s Mercedes community (www.mercedes-benz.ro), a place where women can connect and exchange ideas, share experiences and learn from one another.

Mercedes-Benz stands for the best or nothing. Every success story is unique, but striving to excel is a trait all successful women share. But what is success? We believe it cannot be reduced to one aspect alone, but is far more an intelligent and balanced interplay of personal and professional fulfilment. The will to shape and define our own path is the driving force behind our modern concept of success. We believe that the power of inspired minds can effect excellence. She’s Mercedes is the canvas of this idea: an Inspiration Circle; a place where women can connect and exchange ideas, share experiences and learn from one another; a hub for sparking conversation, offering new perspectives and supporting ambitions.

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