Our Paris Fashion Week guest blogger Melanie Rickey, wraps up a massive second day of shows including favourites Isabel Marant, Maison Martin Margiela and Lanvin (with a stunning Miranda Kerr!).

DAY 2
Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large, Grazia UK in Paris
Follow me on Twitter: @fashedatlarge

ROLAND MOURET

Ok, so it's been an incredibly long day. The first show was Roland Mouret early this morning, and it is now 00.08am, and I’m sitting down to share my day with you. Forgive me if I am somewhat matter of fact about things!

It was a short walk from my hotel to the Hotel Westin where Roland, who managed to find time for a bit of a party last night at the British Ambassador to Frances’s personal residence (a fabulous palace – see the photos on my twitterfeed @fashedatlarge) had his show.

He did his usual sexy lady thing – well it would be crime if he didn’t! – but this time tempered it with elements of surrealism and the forties and fifties Brigitte Bardot sexy French Riviera thing. So lashings of crop-top/skirt combos which made me want to do my eight minute abs every morning in preparation.. I liked the true surreal touches like when a waistline of a nipped-waist dress turning into an eye. Cute.

“I wanted to have that thing that is quite controversial, you know” Mouret told me backstage. “It’s like Picasso or Cocteau. The women around them were absorbing their creative symbols. It’s like that, the nature of our work.” Spoken like a true Frenchman.

Next we battled the heat and grime (yes it is still sizzling in Paris) to head over to the London Showrooms, where all the best new young London Fashion Week designers are hanging out with their collections and selling them to boutiques all around the world. Everyone was slightly hungover from all the free champagne last night...ssshhh!

ISABEL MARANT

The next show that really stood out for me today was Isabel Marant. In London, girls are truly obsessive about her clothes. I bought one of her amazing Navaho jumpers to wear while in Paris, but it’s banished to the wardrobe due to the heatwave.

Isabel’s show always have the same “cool girl in Paris” feel; the models look like they are busy getting somewhere on her runway, and I like that she uses grown up models, not just stick thin 18 year old kids for her show.

Anyway, so another thing about Isabel is that the clothes only change a bit each season – so we got jeans, sweatshirts, mini-dresses, great boots, but this time with more of a patchwork and denim hippy vibe. See for yourself:

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

They had laid old Persian rugs all over the floor of their runway at Maison Martin Margiela, which was cosy. It sure beats the slick white plastic or slick wooden runway (cue lots of slip-ups by models). A glass of red wine in a plastic cup was on offer too. All preparation for what, for me, was a solid show full of things that cool women with money will buy and then have in their life forever.

Their styling might be a bit eccentric – who would walk around with their eyes covered by hair like that? Mental! – but pick Margiela apart and you can see why it is still one of the best-selling collections out there.

Hope the above dress doesn’t come with the plastic.

Loving a zip-open leather skirt!

LANVIN

A tray of champagne upended on the catwalk moments before the very, slick, sexy and snakey inspired show from Alber Elbaz the maestro of Lanvin, and about the loveliest man in fashion.

He didn’t stop by just adding snake print to panels of his body-hugging pencil skirts, which is everywhere now, he got his iridescent green snakes and just put them slithering across the clothes.One of my fashion editor friends, Tamsin Blanchard, hates the sight of snakes, so she had to turn her head away for, to my mind, the best dresses.

Also it was lovely to see Miranda Kerr on the runway looking beautiful, Orlando Bloom was sweltering in the heat of the venue, but Alber Elbaz the designer left us all fans on our seats. Told you he was lovely.

Anna Della Russo with one of the pretty Lanvin fans. (Photo: WWD)

POLLINI by Nicholas Kirkwood

Strolling back from Lanvin, I remembered to look up and that is when Paris really comes to life for me. Looking at all the windows, signs, mini works of art which reside far above our head. Their pleasures reserved for those who remember to look up as they walk down the street.

And if looking up at the Parisian architecture weren't enough, I then made my way to The Ritz for Pollini's presentation where I heard some comforting English voices, had a refreshing beverage and thouroughly enjoyed Nicholas Kirkwood's riviera offering. I pretty much fell in love with the rope detail flatforms. And then it was back out to face the reality of Parisian heat and grime. And now I need my beauty sleep!

Catwalk & Anna Della Russo photography: Courtesy of WWD
Shoes photography: Bethan Holt/Fashion Junior at Large

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