Paris Fashion Week: Dior SS16

 

Raf Simons doesn’t do things by halves, and he proved that with yet another extravagant Dior show in Paris on Friday. Three hundred thousand flowers made up the venue next to the Louvre, as Rihanna posed out front in a couture pink cape, expectations were high.

Dior SS16 showed us fresh, sheer Victorian looking lingerie; the first look to hit the runway was a white, scalloped hem crop top and shorts combo followed by variations in cut and colour. There were knee-length skirts, loose fitting blouses and maxi dresses in pastel ice-cream hues and stripes being a prominent trend.

Sharp tailoring brought some contrast to the frothy feminine attire with Dior’s classic bar jacket making an appearance, along with some short and trouser suits in navy. Oversized coats and jackets featured with coffee coloured stripes, and a flash of red.

Crop tops went down the runway in abundance; chunky knits, raw edges, big shoulders, structured. You name it, Raf did it. Some were paired with flowing, satin maxi skirts covered in floral motifs, while others were layered over the sheer undergarments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makeup was inspired by actual flowers, with subtle peach eyeshadow, flushed cheeks and a rosy lip. And the hair also remained soft, being loosely tied back into a side parting. Completely juxtaposing this, accessories were sharp and bold. Pointed, buckled pumps and geometric bags were the accessories of choice, adding edge to the feminine collection. Statement ribbon chokers adorned the model’s necks, with charms hanging from them reading ’47’ and ‘1947’; the date Dior revealed the ‘new look’ collection, and ‘8’ for October 8, 1946, when Dior first opened its doors.

The final look of the show was a tad underwhelming; a belted, crisp, white dress with a short train, layered beneath a royal blue cropped jumper bearing a black floral design. But then again, you can’t really be underwhelmed while sitting in a dome of flowers watching Dior.