Latest news with #Rococo
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Jonathan Anderson for Dior was a calculated, slightly dishevelled debut
The most eagerly anticipated show of Paris Fashion Week landed quietly but assuredly with Jonathan Anderson's debut for Dior Homme. Front-row seats at the Hôtel National des Invalides were filled by fashion powerhouses and cultural icons alike: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Sabrina Carpenter, and Daniel Craig, all lending star wattage to the occasion. After being named artistic director of Dior womenswear just weeks prior, Anderson becomes the first designer since Christian Dior himself to oversee everything: menswear, womenswear, and haute couture at the LVMH flagship. This was not a show trying to impress with scale. It whispered its point, trusting you were listening. The Dior tailoring —impeccable, still — was softened, made breathable. Jackets retained their lines, but with a shrug. Trousers came with a drop down crotch and relaxed, more exhale than exclamation. This was Jonathan Anderson doing what he does best: filtering heritage through instinct, turning formality into something that breathes. 'It's like pulling your favourites from a wardrobe,' says Akshay Tyagi, Mumbai-based celebrity stylist. 'It's got a bit of edge. It's got panache. But it's also easy and chill.' That balance is the essence of what Anderson delivered. Past meets present The official Dior press note framed it as 'a spontaneous, empathetic collusion of then and now… a reconstruction of formality' and that was clear. Donegal tweeds, regimental neckties, and 18th-century-style waistcoats were reinterpreted, not just revived. Diorette charms, delicate florals, and embroidery hinted at Monsieur Dior's love for Rococo romanticism and British culture, but were deployed with a kind of self-aware restraint. 'There's a youthful energy here,' says Dheeraj Reddy, Mumbai-based fashion creator. 'The reconstructed suit shorts, oversized bow ties and flowing capes were sharp but whimsical.' Dheeraj points to the cropped blazers and structured shopper bags as future must-haves. Meanwhile, the military jackets brought back a touch of Kris Van Assche-era (artistic director for Dior Homme from 2007 to 2018) structure, but less rigid. Arson Nicki, a US-based fashion commentator, calls it 'the strongest debut at a couture house in quite some time.' He cites the first look — imperial collars, bar-jacket silhouettes, sculpted cargo shorts, and fisherman sandals — as a thesis in itself. 'It was unmistakably Dior, but also recognisably Jonathan Anderson,' he adds. 'Anachronistic and of-the-moment; challenging and immediate.' Still, one could not ignore the elephant — or rather, the heatwave — in the room. Europe has been burning through summers in recent years, which made Anderson's use of heavy outerwear — full-length capes, trench coats, and tailored layers — feel at odds with the spring/summer label. Strip it down, though, and there is plenty that works: tailored striped shorts, cropped waistcoats, and a standout white jumpsuit that looked like it was plucked from naval history. The white jumpsuit with the black tie and backpack, which could be a hit among GenZ, was a sleek fashion moment—it echoed the union suit, a one-piece undergarment worn by sailors and workers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Anderson's version, minimalist and sharply cut, felt like a modern-day wink to that utilitarian history. Less costume, more quiet reference. It is safe to say the collection flirted with commercial polish, occasionally wavering between clarity and contradiction. There were shades of Hedi Slimane-era Dior Homme in there — boyish, skinny, insouciant — but Anderson's voice stayed intact. A first show does not have to solve it all. Anderson's Dior debut was a careful tune-up. A calculated start for a new chapter —one that may speak louder with time. And in a market that is shifting fast towards quiet luxury, modular dressing, and stylistic fluidity, this collection feels future-proof.
Yomiuri Shimbun
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Dandyism, Decadence and a Taste of Rebellion at Junya Watanabe's Vision of Paris
PARIS (AP) — A new kind of dandy took over Junya Watanabe's runway on Friday — not the traditional gentleman, but a sharp-dressed rebel with a streak of punk at Paris Fashion Week. Watanabe, the pioneering Japanese designer known for mixing classic tailoring with a wild, creative edge, unveiled a lineup of bold, offbeat looks at the Lycée Carnot. The show was sharp but rebellious, rich in history but full of energy. It wasn't about looking back. It was an explosion of new ideas. Watanabe has built his reputation by smashing the line between elegance and rebellion. This season, he didn't just mix old and new, he turned history into a weapon. His spring men's collection borrowed from the past — rich brocades, jacquards and a hint of Rococo flair — but reimagined them with a bold, punk attitude. Jackets worthy of Venetian nobility were paired with rugged workwear and raw denim, creating looks that felt both grand and streetwise. The music followed the same energy, starting with a traditional piano piece breaking down into a thumping city beat. Classic style was pulled apart and rebuilt right on the runway. Some outfits showed off sharp, careful tailoring, but the order quickly fell away — seams went crooked, sashes trailed loose, wild patterns took over. Even the ties broke free, knotted multiple times in ways that broke from tradition. Despite the wild mix of styles, the show was more than just patchwork. Watanabe was making a statement about taste itself — a constant tug-of-war between old ideas and breaking the rules. Familiar touches — a monk's robe, the rooftops of Florence — were turned into clever fashion puzzles. Throughout the collection, Watanabe's eye for detail and contradiction remained. He's known for boldly mixing sharp tailoring with street style, blending Japanese tradition with punk energy. This season, he sharpened that approach into clothes that were both smart and full of electricity, pieces that challenged the idea of what it means to dress well. By the end, the dandy wasn't just a gentleman —he was sharper, braver, both thinker and rebel.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Dandyism, decadence and a taste of rebellion at Junya Watanabe's vision of Paris
PARIS (AP) — A new kind of dandy took over Junya Watanabe's runway on Friday — not the traditional gentleman, but a sharp-dressed rebel with a streak of punk at Paris Fashion Week. Watanabe, the pioneering Japanese designer known for mixing classic tailoring with a wild, creative edge, unveiled a lineup of bold, offbeat looks at the Lycée Carnot. The show was sharp but rebellious, rich in history but full of energy. It wasn't about looking back. It was an explosion of new ideas. Watanabe has built his reputation by smashing the line between elegance and rebellion. This season, he didn't just mix old and new, he turned history into a weapon. His spring men's collection borrowed from the past — rich brocades, jacquards and a hint of Rococo flair — but reimagined them with a bold, punk attitude. Jackets worthy of Venetian nobility were paired with rugged workwear and raw denim, creating looks that felt both grand and streetwise. The music followed the same energy, starting with a traditional piano piece breaking down into a thumping city beat. Classic style was pulled apart and rebuilt right on the runway. Some outfits showed off sharp, careful tailoring, but the order quickly fell away — seams went crooked, sashes trailed loose, wild patterns took over. Even the ties broke free, knotted multiple times in ways that broke from tradition. Despite the wild mix of styles, the show was more than just patchwork. Watanabe was making a statement about taste itself — a constant tug-of-war between old ideas and breaking the rules. Familiar touches — a monk's robe, the rooftops of Florence — were turned into clever fashion puzzles. Throughout the collection, Watanabe's eye for detail and contradiction remained. He's known for boldly mixing sharp tailoring with street style, blending Japanese tradition with punk energy. This season, he sharpened that approach into clothes that were both smart and full of electricity, pieces that challenged the idea of what it means to dress well. By the end, the dandy wasn't just a gentleman —he was sharper, braver, both thinker and rebel.
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dandyism, decadence and a taste of rebellion at Junya Watanabe's vision of Paris
PARIS (AP) — A new kind of dandy took over Junya Watanabe's runway on Friday — not the traditional gentleman, but a sharp-dressed rebel with a streak of punk at Paris Fashion Week. Watanabe, the pioneering Japanese designer known for mixing classic tailoring with a wild, creative edge, unveiled a lineup of bold, offbeat looks at the Lycée Carnot. The show was sharp but rebellious, rich in history but full of energy. It wasn't about looking back. It was an explosion of new ideas. Watanabe has built his reputation by smashing the line between elegance and rebellion. This season, he didn't just mix old and new, he turned history into a weapon. His spring men's collection borrowed from the past — rich brocades, jacquards and a hint of Rococo flair — but reimagined them with a bold, punk attitude. Jackets worthy of Venetian nobility were paired with rugged workwear and raw denim, creating looks that felt both grand and streetwise. The music followed the same energy, starting with a traditional piano piece breaking down into a thumping city beat. Classic style was pulled apart and rebuilt right on the runway. Some outfits showed off sharp, careful tailoring, but the order quickly fell away — seams went crooked, sashes trailed loose, wild patterns took over. Even the ties broke free, knotted multiple times in ways that broke from tradition. Despite the wild mix of styles, the show was more than just patchwork. Watanabe was making a statement about taste itself — a constant tug-of-war between old ideas and breaking the rules. Familiar touches — a monk's robe, the rooftops of Florence — were turned into clever fashion puzzles. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Throughout the collection, Watanabe's eye for detail and contradiction remained. He's known for boldly mixing sharp tailoring with street style, blending Japanese tradition with punk energy. This season, he sharpened that approach into clothes that were both smart and full of electricity, pieces that challenged the idea of what it means to dress well. By the end, the dandy wasn't just a gentleman —he was sharper, braver, both thinker and rebel.
Mint
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Dandyism, decadence and a taste of rebellion at Junya Watanabes vision of Paris
PARIS (AP) — A new kind of dandy took over Junya Watanabe's runway on Friday — not the traditional gentleman, but a sharp-dressed rebel with a streak of punk at Paris Fashion Week. Watanabe, the pioneering Japanese designer known for mixing classic tailoring with a wild, creative edge, unveiled a lineup of bold, offbeat looks at the Lycée Carnot. The show was sharp but rebellious, rich in history but full of energy. It wasn't about looking back. It was an explosion of new ideas. Watanabe has built his reputation by smashing the line between elegance and rebellion. This season, he didn't just mix old and new, he turned history into a weapon. His spring men's collection borrowed from the past — rich brocades, jacquards and a hint of Rococo flair — but reimagined them with a bold, punk attitude. Jackets worthy of Venetian nobility were paired with rugged workwear and raw denim, creating looks that felt both grand and streetwise. The music followed the same energy, starting with a traditional piano piece breaking down into a thumping city beat. Classic style was pulled apart and rebuilt right on the runway. Some outfits showed off sharp, careful tailoring, but the order quickly fell away — seams went crooked, sashes trailed loose, wild patterns took over. Even the ties broke free, knotted multiple times in ways that broke from tradition. Despite the wild mix of styles, the show was more than just patchwork. Watanabe was making a statement about taste itself — a constant tug-of-war between old ideas and breaking the rules. Familiar touches — a monk's robe, the rooftops of Florence — were turned into clever fashion puzzles. Throughout the collection, Watanabe's eye for detail and contradiction remained. He's known for boldly mixing sharp tailoring with street style, blending Japanese tradition with punk energy. This season, he sharpened that approach into clothes that were both smart and full of electricity, pieces that challenged the idea of what it means to dress well. By the end, the dandy wasn't just a gentleman —he was sharper, braver, both thinker and rebel.
