PACO RABANNE FALL 2020 RTW COLLECTION
Julien Dossena adapts garments associated with historical dress to arrive at radically crafted expressions of female power.
March 13, 2020
Taking place within the medieval hall of the Conciergerie, this Paco Rabanne Fall 2020 RTW collection presents a composite portrait of women who conjure contemporary forces of light and dark.
The tension between austere and embellished silhouettes is visible through diverse surface treatments, from the structured, military-style coats in lacquered leather to those bordered in delicate metallic embroideries.
Total looks in printed chain mail, imitation leather, sequins and tapestry-style knits and printed stretch jersey experiment with anachronisms that span Joan of Arc to grunge. Ruffled, crenellated and starched eyelet collars and cuffs recur as a uniformly prim underpinning pitched against imposing outer layers. Constructed capelets and ample ceremonial volumes reminiscent of baptism dresses are countered with airy transparencies that make a haunting impression.
Regarding bags, the iconic 1969 assumes various new identities: square tiling that resembles vintage porcelain covered in tea roses; small suede discs printed with wild flowers; gold medallions akin to old coins. Finally, the handheld Op-Art bag expands into new shapes and textures, widened in tapestry print or as a smaller format with a mesh handle.
While relying on Paco Rabanne fundamentals, Julien Dossena shapes new radical aesthetics for the Maison on his Fall 2020 runway.