With the energy surrounding fashion shows in Paris evoking a flash mob scene, every once in a while, it’s nice to escape the runway milieu and check out presentations focused on the hard goods. This season, three luxe accessories brands, Roger Vivier, Delvaux, and Christian Louboutin, proved that seeing a new collection can be more enticing than a ‘shelves in a showroom’ approach.
It isn’t to say that the frenzy is exclusively reserved for ready-to-wear; such was the case at the Roger Vivier Autumn Winter 2024 presentation at the Maison de l’Amérique Latine—a spot the brand has frequently shown at—where a crowd had gathered outside.
Ostensibly, they were waiting for celebrities such as Chinese actor and singer Allen Ren and Korean actress Shin Sae-kyung, whose presence seemed to eclipse Gherardo Felloni’s vision for the season entitled ‘VIVIER OP-TICAL’ which drew upon Qui êtes-vous Polly Maggoo? (William Klein’s 1966 satirical film and fashion’s premiere playbook) and the work of Hungarian French artist Victor Vasarely for a Swinging Sixties Mod mood. Combining the presentation’s theme and the legions of fans and media was literally and figuratively a Piccadilly Circus-worthy affair. The arrival of Paris Jackson decked out in full burgundy, carrying a bag and shoe designed by Felloni, fueled the mood though in a more considered manner, as did Juliette Binoche’s and Catherine Deneuve‘s arrival.
Felloni spoke to FashionNetwork.com, explaining the genesis of the collection. “The primary reason for this Sixties mood is that it’s an important part of the archives and the Roger Vivier legacy. He completely changed the silhouette of women, forgetting the stiletto and pointy shoes so women could move in a liberated way. The chunky kitten heel, wider lasts, square and round toes, and of course, the Belle Vivier gave birth at this time with the Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian show,” the creative director explained, adding Vivier’ practically invented cuissardes (thigh-high boots) for fashion when Brigitte Bardot wore them posed next to a Harley-Davidson.
He then further explained the theme. “Yes, it’s the movie, but Roger Vivier was also obsessed with zebras; the archives are full of them. This is the first time I have explored these pages of the brand history. I am a big fan of French ‘Op’ pop art like Victor Vasarely. I’ve always been obsessed and have a painting of his at my house. He’s well-known but not super famous worldwide, but he is a master. When I looked at his work, I found a lot of zebras, and I realized it’s the optical animal.”
Optically-mesmerizing black and white displays, moving in some cases, greeted and enticed viewers for an up-close look at fun takes on color blocking, captivating in the new Belle Vivier in combos of black contrasted with white and a pale green for a twist. Black and white daisy-shaped earrings also played to the theme.
As guests flowed from room to room on the two floors of the Maison, they were treated to more eye candy both in the new offerings and the scene. In a red and purple painted room with a massive papier-mâché sculpture of a zebra in a nod to Vasarely’s work, the groovy style journey continued with zebra calf hair prints on knee-high boots, embellished 60’s fringe vests and newsboy caps, rich purple suede boots and shoes.
A gold and black room shined with crystal-encrusted buckle shoes and bags with a pointed square toe that recreated concepts in the Piece Unique collection for Haute Couture. Embellished ballet flats used the house’s iconic buckle as the heels, and a new small circular-shaped squishy leather bag, destined for It bag status, was a simple alternative in the offerings.
Further building excitement for the brand’s luxury accessories were installations showing artisans at work doing hand-painting and assembling buckles and heels while a dance troupe interpreted a shoe workshop to add a bit of theater to the day, a passion for Felloni.
Delvaux
Delvaux, founded in 1829, is the oldest luxury house in the world. It predates Vuitton, Tiffany, and Hermès and is often wrongly omitted from amateur lists of such things on the internet. Delvaux also demonstrated its craft acumen during the brand’s Fall/Winter presentation on Paris’ left bank entitled “Savoirs and Savoir-Faire’ of Knowledge and Know-How.
While the event may have been on Boulevard des Invalides, the brand’s CEO, Jean-Marc Loubier, aimed to transport guests to its headquarters in Belgium. “We brought Brussels to Paris by recreating the factory in this space,” he said, pointing out the trompe l’oeil effect on the walls, panels on the ceiling recreating the workshop’s glass ceiling, iron beams recreated from wood, and artists creating faux marble walls. “We play with what you see, the illusion provided you do something real, and that is the know-how and the bag at the end,” he added.
Indeed, in-house artisans who undergo additional rigorous training, even a post-trade skill degree, were on hand demonstrating some of that know-how, such as creating the woven-effect D-tab leather technique named Arsenal, a nod to the Brussels workshop. Arsenal leather will ultimately become one of three brillant bag styles made on-site during the week-long presentation that opened to VICs and VIPs following the press day. Another artisan was showing a painting method on the bags that gave the appearance of embossing the leather skins.
The new bag of the season is the new “L’Airess” tote based on a perforated aluminum frame from a piece of luggage made in 1946 as demand for luggage rose during the burst of commercial air travel. Fashioned in grained leather, the tote can be worn with gussets tucked in for a triangular shape or enlarged for a basin shape to carry the day’s accumulation. The modern shopper, which features air-pressurized holes on the bag’s main panel, is an example of Delvaux’s know-how. “We are architects of leather,” he suggested.
Another message for the season is the Caprice bag as the perfect evening, cocktail, or special-occasion day dressing handbag. While rows and rows of the black version were on display, a middle row of made-to-order limited editions borrowed materials from other disciplines, such as ceramics, straw marquetry, and fine jewelry, while a stunning malachite version, stole the spotlight. While the leather styles hover around 7K USD, the custom versions will run from 30K to 35K USD.
“Delvaux stands for timeless elegance; I want to show we have a specific identity for our bags,” Loubier continued.
According to Loubier, the latter style was inspired by an archive piece in green leather the brand acquired from the Elizabeth Taylor estate. The fact that the megastar had purchased this for personal use resembles another luxury brand’s association with Audrey Hepburn. “Only there; she wore it in a movie; Liz Taylor carried this Delvaux bag in real life; she was a fan,” Loubier mused.
Christian Louboutin
Regarding star power, Christian Louboutin is a shoe celebrity incarnate. The mania inside and outside his venue in Pigalle was testimony to that. While the lore of how his famous red soles came to be (inspired by an assistant painting her nails red, he jazzed up a shoe style that arrived from the factory lacking pizzaz by adding polish to the soles). Lesser known is that his first job was at the Folies Bergères cabaret, where he assisted dancers backstage, presumably with costume.
Thus, the wildly entertaining Loubi Shows the designer has favored of late to introduce a new collection have everything to do with the designer’s POV. This season, he plucked twelve dancers from ‘La Marche Bleue,’ a dance company founded by Leo Walk, alongside musicians Clara Cappagli and Armand Bultheel for a captivating and edgy dance and music performance infused with hip-hop and house music vibes. Naturally, each dancer wore the red-soled shoes, the latest MJ Moc Loafers, and the revamped Miss Sabina sandal, proving that your Louboutins are equally comfortable on the dance floor, which in this case was wonderfully imagined by French American visual artist Jan Melka.
As Louboutin greeted fans and VIPS such as Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan and actress Zoey Deutch at Le Trianon, a classic grand theater, the uber-cobbler didn’t deny claims of being a ‘closeted theater producer.’ He told FashionNetwork.com, “You are probably right; it’s what I am doing.”
While guests enjoyed a pre and post-show cocktail in the heritage theater’s marble and stone lobby, they persued the Fall/Winter 2024 women’s collection that drew its cues from the American West, think Western motifs on mach-drive emblazoned with colorful gemstones, stars, and horseshoes on boots, spikes on stiletto with engraved belt buckle details and a range of chic cowboy styles made from denim. Other highlights include a chunky heel pump, graphic thong styles, and the updated Loubi54 bag with contrasting leather textures and studs.
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