"Can we introduce some dream into daytime?" That was the question Alber Elbaz posed for himself when he began designing pre-fall, and judging by today's informal runway show, the answer is bien sûr. Yes, there were some straightforward looks—a three-piece gray flannel suit and a black denim trench worn over a washed leather cargo vest and skirt—but for the most part, Elbaz took his inspiration from the "leopard lady." A real Frenchwoman that the designer and his cohorts often see in Paris, she is by all accounts never without a leopard coat even at the height of summer. Her more-is-more aesthetic informed the collection's mix-and-match animal prints, the patchworked and collaged furs, and the bijou-bedazzled tops and skirts, all of which were accessorized with scads of necklaces, lacy stockings, and foulards. As fantasies go, it's a seductive one, but is there a danger it won't play in reality? Not really—all a Lanvin girl need do is peel away the layers until she finds the one item that her wardrobe isn't complete without.
