Paris Autumn/Winter '08

Hermès, Autumn/Winter 2008 (scroll down to read more)
Hermès
Jean Paul Gaultier visited familiar territory for the Hermès show, i.e. masculine and feminine. This time he took the clothing of the after dinner smoking room (strictly for the men) and gave the robes, waistcoats and fringed scarves to the ladies. He also borrowed some of the furnishings, as the runway was covered with a 70-metre long custom-made Persian carpet. Rich Kashmir prints added just enough boho chic as did the embroidered boots, shearling coats in curly haired mouton (a French mountain sheep from Béarne region of France), beanie hats (in hand-knit cashmere of course) and patchwork, hand-done in precious skins like lizard, ostrich and alligator. Fringing was key, finishing the hems of skirts (made of Hermès shawls), robes and the tips of the scarves, themselves attached to waistcoats. Mixed in amongst all this were the classic Hermès pieces updated just so, like the trapeze car coats and peacoats, the trench, the double-faced blazer with a new wider shoulder and the tuxedo coat which also became a dress. Most of it needs to be seen (and touched) to be believed, like the shearling that was actually sheared mink, and the inside out alligator that had been sueded.