For spring, Jean-Paul Lespagnard swapped the runway for a conveyor belt — literally. Taking cues from the food-production industry, the designer held his presentation in a gallerylike space where he installed an assembly line circulating bottles of mustard (to go with the sausage served at the venue — what else would you serve?) featuring images of his spring looks.
The actual clothing, hanging on racks beside the moving belt, was just as droll and original. To wit: Sweaters in a technical material had hand-beaded sausages or red shrimp sewn to their fronts, while coats and dresses were cut in the shape of an apron using coated cotton, which, with time, would get its own patina, the designer explained. Lespagnard, who had already shown the collection to buyers in June, said bestsellers included the slouchy pajama looks boasting a print of sausage-making machines. Overall, the collection, which hit stores the day after the press viewing on Sunday, exuded tongue-in-cheek appeal with a vintage flair.