As models rushed around getting ready in a private salon at the Ritz, Mônot designer Eli Mizrahi was enjoying the moment. “It’s good to be back in Paris because I launched season one on March 1 [in 2020] with my first show, and a few days later, it was lockdowns everywhere.” His show, staged as a dinner in the Parisian hotel with New York-based singer Inyang Bassey belting out soulful tunes, felt like a celebration.
The look: What would a minimalist of the body-proud generation — body size being irrelevant — wear to a black-tie dinner? Quite possibly one of these effortless, body-hugging looks where the skin becomes a feature via bold graphic cutouts, worn with footwear that likewise wraps around the foot.
Quote of note: “For me, inclusivity is [having] a bit of everything in a collection,” said Mizrahi, explaining that the client for his sexy and sophisticated aesthetic goes from a size 0 to a 12, “and private orders. I don’t know who was buying evening gowns during lockdowns, but respect. Keep doing what you’re doing.”
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Key pieces: The opening black look, with its top made of bands barring the chest in strategic places; a pair of dresses that looked like a bolt of fabric simply wrapped and knotted around the model; another black column dress with built-in gloves, an oval cutout baring the midriff and inner elbows, and wide-legged trousers that looked fantastic paired with anything — seashell-shaped bra and transparent corset included.
Takeaway: A closer inspection backstage belied simplifications of the Mônot look as mere “sexy figure-hugging looks in monochromes.” Daywear-minded additions will help the brand extend its clientele.