Paris Autumn/Winter '08

Balenciaga
What becomes a chic Parisienne? In Nicolas Ghesquiere's book, a little black dress, a tailleur with a pencil skirt, a pair of stovepipe trousers and some decorative sheaths for cocktail hour. But these items – wardrobe classics - were of course far from the norm. His LBD came in sculpted wool with an asymmetric peplum wrapping round a pencil thin skirt and finished with metallic silver heels, matching crystal collier and bracelets, hair scraped back into a neat chignon, and smoky, sultry eyes. Evening coats were cut in hi-shine rubber in black and brick tones. His tailleur were fashioned in trad men's suiting fabrics in sober grey cut with immaculate sleeves and matching skirts which peeped a band of silk at the waist, showing degrade effect dart marks. The effect was as if the body of the skirt had slipped to reveal the lining. Ditto for trousers, with wool pattern pieces bonded onto a silk lining and worn with silk and liquid velvet draped bodice tops. The designer's love of sci-fi revealed itself in his finale dresses, carved in rubber and printed with oriental patterns that looked like tattooed skin. A marvel all round.

Images: Catwalking.com