When artist Henri Alexander Levy launched his collection Enfants Riches Déprimés nine years ago at just 21, he was a bit of an enfant terrible himself. The line quickly gained a celebrity following, and he proudly called it “elitist.”
“When I was younger I was taking this super nihilistic approach to what I was doing. I think a lot of people look at their younger work as brash,” he said, speaking to WWD before Saturday’s runway show.
Levy called to mind a T-shirt he showed featuring George W. Bush’s later-life painting of Vladimir Putin. “I thought that was so great [at the time]. I look back on my younger self with some humor, and no regret for that work either, because it informs the new work and allows me to be more pulled back, minimal and trying to make intelligent decisions and not just shocking decisions.”
If he has toned down his philosophy, Levy certainly has not abandoned his original posh-punk aesthetic. There were still plenty of looks rooted in biker, punk and skater styles, but the collection was balanced with more tailored pieces. Levy splits his time between Paris and L.A. and says he revels in the “super aggressive” contrast between the two cities. It was shown here in smart suits deftly paired with cowboy boots.
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Levy, who previously showed during men’s week, also put a new focus on women’s wear including a trench dress with a slightly militaristic cut, long skirts topped with structured blazers and more demure dresses. He once again pulls from the paintings of Cy Twombly that have been a constant influence on his work, showing up as scribbles across black-and-white babydolls here.
Styled by Arianne Phillips, the collection puts a more mature Levy on display.