By Erin Moonyeen Haley
Couture legend has it that, as a child, Alexis Mabille was so enamored with the bow ties donned by the doctors in his family as they balanced professionalism with fashion savvy, that he decided to design and sew one himself. When one wasn’t enough, he proceeded to make another and then another. This love for noeuds papillons has always been evident in his prêt-à-por·ter, especially in his recent Spring 2022 collection where bow ties created a spine of satiny excess on some garments and grandiose, ribboned arches on top of capes for others.
For Paris Fashion Week 2022, Mabille's philosophy of translating "the old-world Hollywood glamour of [his] couture into easier to wear off-the-rack pieces" was transcended from abstract belief system to the physical runway and beyond. Outfits were luxurious but not so inordinate as to be beyond the price or wearability of the average smitten fashionista. Browns as warm as brandy and blues as bright as siren eyes came in such fabrics as casimir and lamé, with dewy lace ensembles to soften the overall appeal.
For some gowns, there was an autumnal pagan bride motif, courtesy of low shoulders with ruffles of Mabille's signature bows that perfectly matched sheer, coppery sleeves.
Sweeping bronze skirts with glittery waists were paired with white blouses complete with intricate lace appliqué and starched collars, rendering jewelry obsolete.
Caramel mermaid skirts and oversized sleeves simplified the formality, allowing oversized necklines to steal the show with penny-colored nuances of shimmer.
There was a deviation from the warm browns and tiger-eye bronzes. Blue was added to the palette in the form of romantic, almost Edwardian-style teal satin gowns with plunging V bodices and masculine shirt sleeves that tied at the elbows in oversized bows that were quintessential Mabille.
Tuxedo vibes are channeled with button-up white blouses that were offset with black sequined ballroom skirts and slender elongated ties.
While chocolates remained the dominant shade, elegance was undeniably the dominant theme.
Photos courtesy of Alexis Mabille.
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