After his flamboyant runway debut for Rochas last season — think swirly, fantastical drawings and fiery lamé ruffles — Charles de Vilmorin dialed down the volume for his pre-fall collection.
“This is a slightly less eccentric, slightly more classic woman. I wanted the collection to be a little more accessible,” the designer said via Zoom.
Hence his muted color palette of forest tones, highlighted with dashes of primary red, yellow and blue, and reined-in tailoring, with a focus on handsome midi skirts, classic coats and crisp jackets with leg-of-mutton sleeves.
For the first time since he was named artistic director of the French fashion house a year ago, de Vilmorin had time to immerse himself in the archives. He was particularly taken with an image of Hélène Rochas, the wife of founder Marcel Rochas, with a fake bird draped over her torso, and worked feathered creatures into a 3D brocade fabric and embroideries on knits.
He cited stripes and polka dots as other elements drawn from the label’s heritage, though by his own admission, Rochas lacks a set of clear codes. That leaves its identity open to interpretation, a double-edged sword for a fledgling designer like de Vilmorin, who is only just starting to establish a visual language of his own.
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Hired to make the brand more engaging for younger generations, he now has to reconcile his distinctive aesthetic with commercial imperatives. He’s yet to nail a clear point of view, but de Vilmorin is learning to finesse his ideas, and establishing a clearer connection with the history of the house felt like a smart move.
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