There was a quiet-ish calm-before-the-Dior-storm feel about today. The shows weren't knockout and there have been rumblings amongst show go-ers that it's a flat season - a damning indictment if ever there was one. But, it is Paris after all, and there was much to be learnt from day two at PFW.
1. Department store buyers are pretty serious about their post-show debriefs. "That was a good show for us. Let's talk about it," barked one top department store buyer to her team after Balmain. Clearly an immediate chainmail-dungaree and lamé summit was essential.
2. Emmanuelle Alt is officially the most important person at the Paris shows. There was no question that the Balmain show in the Grand Hotel would start until she had taken her seat. Well she is on home turf after all.
3. A skirt can have a dual identity. Balenciaga's gorgeous skirts were all elegance at the front, business at the back.
4. Customers don't want to suffer from what one boutique owner placing orders at a showroom termed "shopper's remorse" ie the sick feeling you get if you've spent too much money. This, the boutique owner theorised, is why buyers love brands such as Carven, Raoul and Theysken's Theory, because the clothes are excellent quality but not as heart-stoppingly expensive as some of the megabrands.
5. The Pan Am look could be big come next winter. First came Prada's air-hostessy vibe in Milan. Yesterday Raoul's beautiful collection on display in a suite at the Hotel Vendome was all graphic skirts and neat blouses. Quietly beautiful, and as mentioned already, not unreachable price-wise
6. Designers are disappearing. First, Galliano flees, and this afternoon Christophe Decarnin was nowhere to be found at his own Balmain show. The audience was more than a little puzzled when after the finale there was no bow as is traditional. Shortly afterwards scandalous and saddening rumours started spreading as to his whereabouts. Here's what was reported on The Cut blog. No doubt the truth will emerge soon enough.
