PARIS FASHION WEEK A/W 2013

Here at the ELLE offices we have been oohing and aahing over the A/W 2013 collections shown at Paris Fashion Week. We all have our favourites – editor Jackie fell in love with Céline’s new signature fold-over bag and everyone swooned over the Valentino feminine pieces. Here, fashion editors Asanda Sizani and Tarryn Oppel review their favourites:

VALENTINO A/W 2013
‘Every season sparks a profound new love for Valentino for me. The Fall 2013 collection was no different. It was just too graceful for words! The silhouette, the colour ways and the small details that made a big impact, like the precision in the laser-cut collars, two-piece dresses and not to mention the tulip embroidery, were phenomenal. I also loved the velvet insert T-bar heels.’ – Tarryn Oppel

DRIES VAN NOTEN A/W 2013
‘Dries Van Noten gave a lesson in doing androgyny really, really well. It was also a lesson in the new layering. It was described as a ‘cross between ballroom dancer and a gentleman’s club’ thanks to inspiration from the Hollywood dancing couple Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. We loved the ‘throw it all on’ approach. It could have easily gone wrong, but it was minimal and modern. Feathers, fringing, jewels, brocade and pinstripes were worn all at once with men’s trousers, classic shirts and simple patent brogues with a cork sole. We enjoyed the teaming of tailored mannish trousers and layering a tunic with a wool jacket over it. His embroidery (made in India) took centre stage. And oh, the great-coats! This was fashion heaven.’ – Asanda Sizani

CELINE A/W 2013
‘Phoebe Philo once again presented a stunning minimalist collection, with womanly tailoring, delicate textures, creamy shades of peaches, white, grey and beige, and checks. As we know, this is the season of the great coat – and Phoebe had no shortage of them. Our best were her mohair coats with rounded shapes, and one that tied to hug the shoulder from the front. There were beautiful soft clutches made from the same fabrics as the clothes themselves – how resourceful! Phoebe’s approach was as minimalist as ever, but sweeter, more ladylike and romantic. Her clothes looked feather-light for a change. A personal favourite key piece is her light-as-air flared skirt. But the ultimate fashion moment for me was her checked pieces which reminded me of ‘ooDlamini’ – the plastic bags sold everywhere in SA from taxi ramps to Pep Stores. This collection was simple, with relaxed tailoring, generous volume and an emphasis on proportions. We are moving away from complicated clothes. This is the direction fashion is taking.’  – Asanda Sizani

CHANEL A/W 2013
‘Around a giant rotating globe with tiny Chanel flags planted wherever the brand is sold, walked mannish overcoats (a strong key piece), sporty tweed jackets and chunky knits. There were also many commercial and streetwise pieces, like skater dresses, in this collection. There were globe-shaped clutches, chain embellished boots and a touch of the dark – yes, Chanel did their take on grunge chic, adding the brand’s signature quilting and colourful fur helmets for good measure. The message was clear: Chanel rules the world of luxury fashion.’  – Asanda Sizani

STELLA MCCARTNEY A/W 2013
‘This collection literally gave me goosebumps. The structure, and minimalist, almost futuristic cuts, and the Stella signature of masculine vs. feminine with a sport influence were all genius. The collection started off with pinstripes on simple suits and then moved on to boxy check jackets and coats (which I loved) and a splash of bright grape, too. The addition of baseball caps made my day!’ – Tarryn Oppel

BALMAIN A/W 2013
‘All I can say is the 80’s are obviously making a comeback! The collection surprised me a little and I’m still not sure if it’s in a good way or not. The metallic and the bling were all there, but this time in the form of pronounced shoulders, nipped-in high-waist harem pants, lamb-shank sleeves and oversized blazers. I did love the intricate quilting and diamond-shaped crystals – it was everything OTT you can imagine in 38 looks.’ – Tarryn Oppel

Watch this space for more Paris Fashion Week 2013 highlights!

Images: Picturenet / Gallo Images