The reference behind the Paco Rabanne Resort 2023 collection was a 1968 comedy starring Peter Sellers with the glittery mini-midi-maxi silhouettes and the faked backdrop set.

Crative Director Julien Dossena was focused on putting forth direct, easy, accessible clothes. The cusp-of the ’70s party theme provided an ideal landscape for his lurex knits—slit maxi-tube skirts and matching bras—and his playful riffs on the Paco Rabanne house heritage of paillettes, sequins, and chainmail that he’s so successfully brought up to date.

Slinky silhouettes were draped from stretch jersey—a high-slit maxi skirt, held in place with a brooch; stylized ’40s star prints on dippy-hemmed dresses. A glistening silver-to-gold paillette dress, further embellished with glints of crystal would satisfy anyone who might be inspired to carry over the Met Gala’s ‘gilded’ theme into next fall, when the collection drops.

Meanwhile, the accessories nestling amongst the clothes tell the story of how Dossena has popularized and commercialized Paco Rabanne for a new generation. Tiny “jewelry” bags on chains—some of them made from linked metallic leather, others with jangly heart-shaped paillettes—have teenage “holiday gift” written all over them.

Dossena has other talents with strong tailoring with military pantsuits with spanking-smart silver metal piping nodded toward that.