No matter what Isabel Marant is looking at—American cowboys, Elvis Presley, the Navajo tribe—what it all boils down to is what she and her cool-girl clients want to wear. She changes the filter, but the formula is basically foolproof: a little skirt, a slouchy jean, hero pieces like this season's shaggy, swaggering fringed coat and vest—all of it oozing the offhand, How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are vibes that Marant's countrywoman Caroline de Maigret writes about in her new book.
The lens Marant used for Spring was modern art, specifically painters like Joan Miró and Antoni Tàpies, whose graphic work led her in the direction of Africa—"tribal without being too literal" is how the designer described what she was going for. The show started with clean tailoring à la Marant: a black judo jacket cinched with a wide leather belt, white eyelet jeans, another jacket with strong shoulders in a black-and-white print that looked like graffiti or ancient cave markings. By its midway point, the collection took on an earthier tone, with rust and sunset orange, fringing, raffia, and rope treatments. Hell, there were even puka shells. It never felt too obvious, though. And it never looked hard to wear, not even the raffia macramé sweater and fringed skirt. Marant has her look down cold.
