Some Carven devotees may not even realize that Guillaume Henry has moved on from the house; they buy for the label, not the designer. And in this way, Carven simply needed to maintain a baseline of desirability this season. Yet, if this was Henry's vision in the hands of the studio, as the brand claims, the clothes for Fall exceeded expectations. At Nina Ricci, Henry will no longer be designing men's collections, so to some extent the pleated and/or cropped pants that he often wears felt like a personal send-off. Meanwhile, sculpted coats, boxy yet tapered, will be held up in magazine editorials as evidence that the '80s are once again having a moment in menswear. Those who prefer a less pronounced silhouette will likely favor the bouclé wool bomber jackets and classic black caban, both with sloped shoulders as a subtle update.
The various looks in nickel gray were easy on the eyes, with one so seamless as to appear like a jumpsuit. Two shirting developments, a technical poplin turtleneck and a collarless wool chalk-stripe blouse, were daring enough to confirm that the studio was not just coasting on autopilot. Furthermore, a bunch of new accessories—notably, a sailor-inspired bag, a handheld clutch, and a leather-trimmed platform oxford—shifted the focus toward a category that has perennial growth potential.
Will the incoming designer continue the ever-popular sweatshirts that have proved a successful entry point? The latest versions here were emblazoned with the same wry, retro cassette-tape and television imagery that was first seen in the women's Pre-Fall offering. Slogan tees reading "Parlez après le bip" ("Speak after the beep") and "Laissez un message" ("Leave a message") continued the notion of obsolescence. The message here: Relevance is relative.
