The richness of the end-of-year fashion shows held at ESMOD Paris, Lyon, Roubaix and Rennes really does allow for trends to be redefined, and given the creativity of the virtuoso silhouettes created by these future professionals, Planet Esmod couldn’t resist a little classification spanning all specialisations.
The communicative emotion that these fashion feats have triggered can be divided into two major families of distinct trends, one unexpected, cerebral, nostalgic, reflective and sometimes austere, offering an objective response to a time that is by no means always bright, the other counteracting this gloom with a joie de vivre that is both generous and contagious in equal measure. Here’s our biased summary.
Nouvelle Objectivité
These trends are decidedly considered and reflect a current situation that is rarely rosy. Emotion is suddenly born of reflection: precision becomes experimental and construction/deconstruction becomes a cerebral matter. This introspective, serious, sometimes austere movement reflects a time of doubt, a sometimes warlike age, a difficult day-to-day reality and an uncertain future in tribute to the German avant-garde of the immediate post-World War I period described in the exhibition.
Nouvelle Objectivité at the Pompidou Centre (until 5th September).
Any objective resemblance to any aspects of our current daily lives is not entirely coincidental.
ARMY CORE
Warlike references with flair is what we see here; volume and protective padding, darkened, veiled and subdued colours, and rigid straps and braids armour the body, along with bag-like pockets for carrying everything with you. This is ‘combat-ready’ streetwear for the (still) peaceful urban guerrilla.
The Army trend on the ESMOD Paris and ESMOD Lyon runways
Designs by Raphaëlle Garolla (Menswear) and Victoria De Looz-Corswarem (Luxury).
Centre: Leila Aatiq’s sportswear
Right: silhouette by Xavier Lemaire specialising in Luxury Womenswear.
Below centre: Menswear design by Lara Ponebsek between two silhouettes from the ESMOD Lyon runway show.
SWASHBUCKLING STYLE
There’s a certain fairytale romanticism to these silhouettes comprising long, structured coats, wrap-around capes and draped tops, while dramatic, oversized effects and XXL volumes bring a real sense of theatre to the world of fashion. This is fashion to show off in.
At the ESMOD Paris and ESMOD Roubaix class of 2022 runway shows.
Right to left, top to bottom: designs by Lucie Rivière, Alexis Eluard, Linnea Devos and behind Jordan Renou, specialising in Nouvelle Couture.
Centre: two silhouettes by Nao Boccara and Qi Yan in the Luxury specialisation. Draped coat by Deanne Nguyen. Two silhouettes by Yu Gao and Theo Katchoura (Nouvelle Couture).
Bottom: the ESMOD Roubaix runway.
All the frills at ESMOD Roubaix
DECONSTRUCTION
The deconstructivist trend for changing everything, breaking everything and cutting everything up is smashing the rulebook to smithereens, as the unstructured becomes the very structure of the garment. The art of patchwork and the practice of laceration mean that old clothes can be upcycled. Suits and tailoring are obliterated as these experimental wardrobes encourage conceptual, eco-friendly, healthy reflection on clothing.
In the ESMOD Paris, ESMOD Roubaix and ESMOD Rennes runway shows.
Top to bottom, left to right: Designs by Leane Cauchie (Emerging Talent) and Evan Verstraete (Sportswear). Lingerie as seen by Margot Lallouni and Santa Andreani. A Menswear silhouette by Théo Acquistapace.
Centre: Simon Hazebrouck (Sportswear) and Fanny Hbierre Andres (Ready-to-Wear). Menswear design by Lara Ponebsek and deconstructed sportswear from ESMOD Roubaix.
Below: Nouvelle Couture by Anya Baghdassarian and Nani Loa Gruet and new sportswear as seen by ESMOD Rennes.
RECONSTRUCTION
A new kind of formalism is shaking up traditional clothing structures, which are now being reconsidered, redesigned and restructured as part of a modern wardrobe representing a new avant-garde, an intellectual asceticism in which black and white, grey and denim blue often feature heavily. Geometric research invokes an element of cubism, and modesty is no longer the enemy of appearance.
The visible austerity of the Reconstruction trend at ESMOD Paris and ESMOD Lyon.
Left to right: Léa Steck and Violaine Reine Joly in the Ready-to-Wear specialisation. Design by Roberta Lucchini in the Emerging Design specialisation and Lou Gaillard’s Ready-to-Wear.
Below: suit by Pierre Liautard (Menswear) and outfit by Roberta Lucchini (Emerging Talent). Three silhouettes at the ESMOD Lyon runway show. Followed by Jules Guermeur’s deconstructed coat.
A modern wardrobe challenges classicism at ESMOD Roubaix, ESMOD Lyon (top right) and ESMOD Rennes (bottom right)
MUTATIONS
Gender fluidity and spectacular experimentation result in a decidedly mutant fashion. This performance wardrobe draws on the richness of yesterday’s haute couture and the unique pieces of tomorrow’s neo-manga fashion. Theatrical studies showcase a new form of expressionism that can be somewhat apocalyptic, where self-affirmation is used to convey universal messages.
Inspired changes at ESMOD Paris
Top to bottom, right to left: Two designs by Naïs Barlet in the Luxury specialisation. Two Lingerie outfits by Clara Fourrier and a silhouette by Ayano Ichimasa in the Luxury specialisation.
Below: Mutant overlays by Clara Aubepart (Emerging Talent). An extreme coat by Victoria De Looz-Corswarem (Luxury specialisation). and an XXL coat by Yu Gao (Women’s Ready-to-Wear specialisation).
Extreme volumes turn all sorts of codes on their heads at ESMOD Paris, ESMOD Lyon and ESMOD Roubaix.
Green dress by Victoire Guyot (Performance specialisation). Volume in black by Chiara Luciano (Nouvelle Couture). Mutant silhouette at ESMOD Lyon.
Below: designs by Benat Moreno (Performance). Fluid masculine dress by Jordan Renou (Nouvelle Couture) and a mutant suit at ESMOD Roubaix.
Crédits Photos : Jean-Baptiste Pennel (ESMOD Paris et Lyon), Clément Decoster (ESMOD Roubaix)
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