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Interview
The Pulse in Paris
Julie Gilhart
New York
Earlier this year, when The Farmers' Almanac requested our trend forecast for 2006 and beyond, it was instinctive to highlight a darker and more minimal direction for the coming seasons. The shelf life on prints and the frothy sweetness that's been circulating has grown passé, and as the pendulum of fashion works, when the industry needs a big change think the opposite of what's happening now. The call for a new slate took shape in the Paris a/w '05-'06 collections and we tapped Julie Gilhart, fashion director of Barneys, to weigh in on the big shift, the return to black, and the new spirit of accessories.
JC: Do you agree that the Paris 2005 fall collections showed first signs of a new chapter in fashion?
JG: Yes, I totally agree. There is new talent and energy in the air. Fashion over the last few years has been driven by so much hype and by people who are not necessarily good designers but are amazing stylists. We are now seeing the emergence of some great designers.
JC: Which designers made the most striking statements?
JG: The energy of the moment is being driven by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, Olivier Theyskens for Rochas, and Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga. I also personally felt Marc Jacobs took risks and delivered a show that was one of his best and strongest statements.
JC: What does the sudden appearance of so much black mean going forward?
JG: I am not a fashion historian so I am sure there is some historical, psychological reason for this. Creatively, I feel the Victorian references pared with a '20s feel and twisted with some Goth, can be an interesting place to make a fashion statement from. I think it is not like the all black periods we have been in before. Everything is embellished and enhanced. There is an attention to detail, a polish and a luxury we haven't seen in the previous black periods. What does it mean going forward? The world is going so fast and changing constantly. How can one really predict? You just have to be sure you catch the momentum of the moment and keep close to the change that is inevitable.
JC: How strong is the role of fabrics in the new sensibilities?
JG: The fabrics give this black statement richness and allure. Nothing is flat. If it is fur, it is usually seen as an astrakhan that has texture and depth. Fabrics that are equally as rich and reflective like luscious velvets and taffetas that shimmer.
JC: There was a commercial spirit to several collections; was this a response to the tenuous currency issue? If so, was it a successful strategy?
JG: I am sure it was a strategy that some designers went for. In hindsight it was probably smart because in the end it will be easier to sell, but personally, I feel excitement is created by pushing the envelope. It creates the scenario that you want to see more. It creates energy and interest, which in turn creates desire on the customer level to want something that is exception rather than just commercial. In the end, a store needs both.
JC: What about the percolating of a new avant-garde? The outsized proportions, the lyrical and unusual details (Miyake, Comme, Undercover) — another Japanese moment?
JG: For whatever reason I think the great Japanese designers of the moment — Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garcons, Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi for Undercover — give us a sense of art. It is appealing to us because it is something we usually haven't seen before. Sometimes it takes us a moment to feel comfortable but once we get familiar with it, we appreciate it, wear it, and keep it.
JC: What were the most potent suggestions for fall accessorizing?
JG: Hands down, got to have a great boot. A more structured handbag with hardware looks good. Prada and Marc Jacobs had great ones. The definition of the waist was an important theme for fall, so belts are key. It is all about necklaces. Ones that are put together with different elements — ribbon, pearls, rhinestones, etc. Lanvin has the best.
JC: What will the new mood in the designer category mean for casual clothes?
JG: I think casual clothing will just have a bit more polish and refinement to it. Barneys has such a fashion customer that in our Co-Op, the mood of the season is just as important as it is in designer.
JC: What is Barneys most excited about embracing for fall?
JG: Creating energy and emotion. Applying a consciousness to everything we do. I know it sounds fashion-y and silly but it is true. We have bought the collections with dare. Anything that is beautiful and strong we bought more of. Everyone is talking about prices being higher so you have to make sure that what you buy looks the price. We pushed the envelope on the designers that we feel are delivering strong statements — Lanvin, Rochas, and Balenciaga. We are supporting this talented crop of designers that are making statements from New York — Proenza Schouler, Derek Lam, Behnaz Sarafpour, Zac Posen, etc. We continue to search out the new and special in all categories, whether it be at a designer level or Co-Op level. The most important thing, and the thing that we are most excited about, is telling a very unique and interesting fall story.
Photos: Lanvin a/w '05-'06
Yves Saint Laurent a/w '05-'06
Christian Dior a/w '05-'06
Louis Vuitton a/w '05-'06
Comme des Garcons a/w '05-'06
Balenciaga a/w '05-'06
Undercover a/w '05-'06
The Pulse in Paris
Julie Gilhart
New York
Earlier this year, when The Farmers' Almanac requested our trend forecast for 2006 and beyond, it was instinctive to highlight a darker and more minimal direction for the coming seasons. The shelf life on prints and the frothy sweetness that's been circulating has grown passé, and as the pendulum of fashion works, when the industry needs a big change think the opposite of what's happening now. The call for a new slate took shape in the Paris a/w '05-'06 collections and we tapped Julie Gilhart, fashion director of Barneys, to weigh in on the big shift, the return to black, and the new spirit of accessories.
JC: Do you agree that the Paris 2005 fall collections showed first signs of a new chapter in fashion?
JG: Yes, I totally agree. There is new talent and energy in the air. Fashion over the last few years has been driven by so much hype and by people who are not necessarily good designers but are amazing stylists. We are now seeing the emergence of some great designers.
JC: Which designers made the most striking statements?
JG: The energy of the moment is being driven by Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, Olivier Theyskens for Rochas, and Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga. I also personally felt Marc Jacobs took risks and delivered a show that was one of his best and strongest statements.
JC: What does the sudden appearance of so much black mean going forward?
JG: I am not a fashion historian so I am sure there is some historical, psychological reason for this. Creatively, I feel the Victorian references pared with a '20s feel and twisted with some Goth, can be an interesting place to make a fashion statement from. I think it is not like the all black periods we have been in before. Everything is embellished and enhanced. There is an attention to detail, a polish and a luxury we haven't seen in the previous black periods. What does it mean going forward? The world is going so fast and changing constantly. How can one really predict? You just have to be sure you catch the momentum of the moment and keep close to the change that is inevitable.
JC: How strong is the role of fabrics in the new sensibilities?
JG: The fabrics give this black statement richness and allure. Nothing is flat. If it is fur, it is usually seen as an astrakhan that has texture and depth. Fabrics that are equally as rich and reflective like luscious velvets and taffetas that shimmer.
JC: There was a commercial spirit to several collections; was this a response to the tenuous currency issue? If so, was it a successful strategy?
JG: I am sure it was a strategy that some designers went for. In hindsight it was probably smart because in the end it will be easier to sell, but personally, I feel excitement is created by pushing the envelope. It creates the scenario that you want to see more. It creates energy and interest, which in turn creates desire on the customer level to want something that is exception rather than just commercial. In the end, a store needs both.
JC: What about the percolating of a new avant-garde? The outsized proportions, the lyrical and unusual details (Miyake, Comme, Undercover) — another Japanese moment?
JG: For whatever reason I think the great Japanese designers of the moment — Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garcons, Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi for Undercover — give us a sense of art. It is appealing to us because it is something we usually haven't seen before. Sometimes it takes us a moment to feel comfortable but once we get familiar with it, we appreciate it, wear it, and keep it.
JC: What were the most potent suggestions for fall accessorizing?
JG: Hands down, got to have a great boot. A more structured handbag with hardware looks good. Prada and Marc Jacobs had great ones. The definition of the waist was an important theme for fall, so belts are key. It is all about necklaces. Ones that are put together with different elements — ribbon, pearls, rhinestones, etc. Lanvin has the best.
JC: What will the new mood in the designer category mean for casual clothes?
JG: I think casual clothing will just have a bit more polish and refinement to it. Barneys has such a fashion customer that in our Co-Op, the mood of the season is just as important as it is in designer.
JC: What is Barneys most excited about embracing for fall?
JG: Creating energy and emotion. Applying a consciousness to everything we do. I know it sounds fashion-y and silly but it is true. We have bought the collections with dare. Anything that is beautiful and strong we bought more of. Everyone is talking about prices being higher so you have to make sure that what you buy looks the price. We pushed the envelope on the designers that we feel are delivering strong statements — Lanvin, Rochas, and Balenciaga. We are supporting this talented crop of designers that are making statements from New York — Proenza Schouler, Derek Lam, Behnaz Sarafpour, Zac Posen, etc. We continue to search out the new and special in all categories, whether it be at a designer level or Co-Op level. The most important thing, and the thing that we are most excited about, is telling a very unique and interesting fall story.
Photos: Lanvin a/w '05-'06
Yves Saint Laurent a/w '05-'06
Christian Dior a/w '05-'06
Louis Vuitton a/w '05-'06
Comme des Garcons a/w '05-'06
Balenciaga a/w '05-'06
Undercover a/w '05-'06
