Dear Shaded Viewers and Diane,
The 22/4 menswear show in Paris last week was
introduced by a charming short film by German director Tobias Yves Zintel,
offering in advance a first, inviting glimpse of the looks that followed.
Stephanie Hahn's milky, relaxed and silky designs were displayed in front of a
foldable, papery landscape with painted cactuses and cheeky motel lights, as
models wearing trench coats and rounded necklines, jelly sandals and Dockers
hats whispered soft lyrics to the camera. It was written that her main inspiration
for the season was the monochrome work of minimalist painter Robert Ryman, that
justified the principally white palette of the collection, in all its beautiful
textures and shades. Yet while watching the film, in its slightly exotic video
clip vibe, I couldn't help but wonder whether the charismatic persona of the
Thin White Duke, what with Bowie's great recent comeback, wasn't at least a
little on her mind. The ambiance of the film, as well as that of the
photographs on the walls by Bulgarian artist Stefan Milev, the blond models
wearing linen and cotton poplin, reminded me somehow of Oshima's Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. And that
was indeed, a very welcome thought.
Later,
Silvia
