Equestrian styles dominated two major collections on day six of Paris fashion week, with horse-riding vestments — some comfortably elegant, some constrictively racy — the motif explored by Hermes and Givenchy.
The gaucho or Argentine cowboy inspired a cool and confident mix of clothes at the Hermes show, while Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci turned on the horsepower for a pulse-quickening show complete with retro variations on jodphurs, riding jackets and racing boots.
Hermes
In his third collection for Hermes, the house of the jet-setting fashion buyer, Christophe Lemaire flew business-class to Argentina. His first piece introduced gentle, hanging silhouettes: a long fringed cape in dark blue was worn like a South American poncho.
Wide, low-slung pleated gaucho pants mixed with sumptuous nude leathers — the house's signature material — that were so soft, they moved as if they were living and breathing.
True enough: as the models walked past there was a distinct aroma of polished hide.
There were nods to the season's must-have, the boxy-jacket, with one charcoal number reworked on a high white collar, in the style of Spanish equestrian garb.
But Hermes, in typical style, was all about comfort.
The relaxed look was perfected with subtle contrasting pieces: a coat was so cool it hung from one shoulder, yet also had the fierceness of a matador's cape.
Givenchy
Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci's show on Sunday presented a highly charged take on equestrian riding gear.
Jodphurs in black and sable brown shaped the silhouette of the collection's first half, with oversized earrings like horse-blinders complementing high riding boots.
As ever with Tisci, there was a sense of danger at all times with chokingly tight neck scarves, loud, troubling music, and even one skintight leather piece — based on a sporting polo — that looked like bondage gear.
Intentionally crude stitching in one leather dress was followed by a series of intense-colour slip dresses with clashing belts — harking back to the palette of British glam rock.
Alexis Mabille
The young girl next door with a pretty red bow: that was the inspiration for Alexis Mabille's autumn-winter collection on Sunday, which reworked the youthful bow in every imaginable way.
Girly tied-lace belting shaved years off the look of a flounce dress with chestnut bow embroidering, while diamante bow earrings put the icing on the cake of the carefree, chic gamine look.
This insouciance translated to a short skirt wardrobe. It was a blatant "sticking your tongue out" at the normal autumn covered-up look, with pleated miniskirts and short dresses in plum and black exposing yards of leg.
In the more wintery part of the collection, he showcased a series of plumed pieces. But at times the texture-mixing looked like he was trying too hard.
One jacket embroidered entirely with messy, wild feathers and fox fur looked almost like a vixen had raided a chicken pen.
