Alexandre Vauthier roared back to the runway with a collection that carried through some of the broad-shouldered, cinched suiting of his ready-to-wear collection, rendered this season in velvet, combined with plenty of sequins at play on gowns that showcased his signature glitz and glam.
Anticipating a return to IRL shows this season, Vauthier designed this collection with movement in mind. “I was really contemplative during the last 24 months. I looked at history and after a heavy moment like this there is an explosion of energy,” he said, noting he took inspiration from the art, architecture and fashion of the Roaring ’20s in Paris and Berlin.
Vauthier played with that softer silhouette and the experiment worked. Fluid, drop-waist dresses with plenty of diaphanous layers had a lightness, offset by more modern touches including his favorite Swarovski-studded slouchy boots.
To keep the collection from feeling too precious, Vauthier wanted to escape the traditional gilded Haussmanian halls of central Paris and add a New York grit. Shown against the stripped cement walls of a former fallout shelter and backed with thumping music that was capital L loud, there was little risk of that. A head-to-toe leopard look was a standout. High-necked minidresses with exaggerated puff sleeves had a harder edge and skin-tight dresses with hip cutouts made it clear he hasn’t lost his rock ‘n’ roll roots.
It was all very Vauthier. As one of the red carpet’s go-to couturiers, the collection will be on the list of his glamorous clients as awards and events return to the calendar.