With cardboard waves, clouds, and seagulls as a backdrop and a boardwalk/runway elevated above acres of sand, Antonio Marras' spring Kenzo collection set off prettily from Brittany and docked in Provence. It wasn't all plain sailing, though, because along the way, there was an implausible stopover at Euro Disney, not to mention a quick tour of the children's nursery.
Marras began then with a saucy nautical theme: Navy-and-white-striped clingy knits and tailored sailor suits came with matching berets. To finish, he sent out floor-length silhouettes: floral gowns with pink gingham accents, a crocheted suit, and a lacy pinafore dress that, topped with a straw hat, called to mind Little Bo Peep. Somewhere in the middle, a couple of polka-dot chiffon looks were accessorized with Minnie Mouse ears.
After their exits, the models made their way onto a cardboard ship waiting in the wings. When the last one swaggered aboard, wearing a man's tuxedo that made one think of the ill-fated couple in Marguerite Duras' novel The Lover, the foghorn bleated, and the boat came into view. Then, while confetti blew sideways from a wind machine, the girls disembarked for a final lap around the boardwalk. It made for good theater, though Marras might do well to remember that modern women are less interested in costumes than well-designed clothes. He had plenty of the latter, but a little less eccentricity would have gone a long way.
