Haider Ackermann was due for a comeback. In recent seasons, his languid draping and extravagant layers had started to feel tired. Oh, he had his true believers, but otherwise you could sense the audience's interest flagging. If it didn't quite snap back to attention this morning in the airless Couvent des Cordeliers, blame the lack of air-conditioning. Still, there was something happening with the clothes; the collection clicked. Ackermann's work has always been heavy on the atmospherics; this season, the poetry of the past remained, but less of the pretensions. His choice of materials mattered. A few of his signature shrunken jackets—arms pushed up past the elbows, hem cut high in the back, with ruffles and ruching in the front—were made from sweatshirt material. The fatigue-green version looked like it had gone through the wash; it was a standout. On other looks, he used fine-gauge knits. There was nothing so plain as a simple pullover sweater. Languid mousseline sleeves extended from the cuffs of one slouchy jumper, and a boatneck dipped into a suggestive, deep V in back. But even when he tied a silk coat around the waist of that outfit's tuxedo-stripe pants to create a long train, the relaxed attitude remained.
If there was less pretension, there was also more precision. An off-the-shoulder jacket had a distinctive sharpness. Same goes for the lavender le smoking. Walk into a party wearing it, and every cocktail dress in the room will seem hopelessly out-of-date.
His subtle color sense deserves mention here, as well. The chartreuse chiffon of a halter-neck top and lilac satin pants almost vibrated. And who knew there were so many ethereal variations on dusty rose and oyster gray? Ackermann's look is so specific, he'll always run the risk of repeating himself. This wasn't a reinvention, per se. But the designer does look reinvigorated.
