Guillaume Henry has itchy feet. His spring collection for Carven was all about speed, with primary colors and bold stripes borrowed from the Formula 1 circuit.
Models raced down a yellow runway resembling a two-lane highway, wearing A-line dresses with broad contrasting bands at the waist. Coats featured chunky zippers and pointy collars in a clear nod to the Sixties craze set off by Nicolas Ghesquière’s debut for Louis Vuitton last season.
At the speed they flew by, most of the outfits barely had time to register. That wasn’t an issue with the plainer looks, like the T-shirt in bold color blocks of red, black and white that was teamed with cycling shorts.
But it made it hard to catch more-subtle elements, such as a drawing of Japanese bathing beauties that was printed on lace to a dense, almost abstract effect. The pattern came in three colorways that were spliced together on dresses with a curved panel running across the front.
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“It’s not only about technology at Carven. On the contrary, we are always inspired by couture, but this time I was really in the mood for energy, speed and simple lines,” Henry said backstage. “Fashion goes fast, it goes too fast, and I wanted us to be immediate.”
Rumor has it that the merry-go-round of fashion will soon carry the designer onto new shores. Brushing off inquiries, Henry said there was no implicit message in this collection. “They just have to be clothes people want, hopefully,” he demurred.