Hot from his successful collaboration with Uniqlo, which brought his coveted minimalist pieces to the highstreet, Christophe Lemaire seems to be feeling confident. His boys had more swagger in their step for A/W 16. If before they have been refined, neat even, this season they were in the mood to rule-break. They surveyed the crowd as they walked. They galavanted down a flight of stairs. They moved through the venue with confidence, as if at home on a familiar commute, clad in comfortable, hard-working wardrobe staples; water-repellent wool trousers and coats, cosy V-necks, soft cotton denim jackets, leather loafers. The models wore the clothes, rather than the clothes wearing the models, as is the case at nearly every other fashion show. Together, the choreography, casting and clothes gave us viewers the impression of being in the street and catching the eye of a very well dressed man, admiring him as he strides by to the next part of his day.
But the notion of the street is apt when considering Lemaire. His clothes are all about real life. This season felt more relevant than ever. The palettes were as refined as usual, but the silhouette was a touch freer - a wool cape billowed, wide trousers swept the ground. The details also offered a twist - mustard socks peeked out from under a slim trouser. Lemaire is the master of simplicity but this felt rich rather than minimal. The closing look was a stretch silk shirt, undone to reveal the top of the chest. It moved beautiful, brushing the body as the model moved. It summed up the spirit of the whole collection; this was a sensual show - it seduced.
