The strongest impression from visiting the Nina Ricci showroom today came not from a single piece but from an action: Creative director Guillaume Henry repeatedly scrunched fabrics between his two hands to prove their lightness and malleability. First, a “memory” viscose that appeared permanently crinkled; then a particular variety of snakeskin formed into a fitted sheath; after that, papery leather (sure enough, the lacquered red coatdress could be clasped without effort). As for the delicate lace embellished with dimensional rosettes: a gentle caress sufficed.
Henry explained that much of this collection emerged from the desire to give shape to a woman whose allure arouses curiosity: Is she an actress? An enigma? A Bond girl? He didn’t actually mention the last reference but one could visualize the through-line from early Deneuve to present-day Léa Seydoux, from the structured caban in Japanese wool or angora dressing gown to the slinky dress of sequins trellised on tulle.
So now that we’ve established Henry’s strong grasp of his materials—let’s not leave out the coat in sheared Mongolian fur patched with mink—and his softened sense of volume (the blouses that billowed at back thanks to a smocked detail were a nice addition), we arrive at the question of how this finely executed collection syncs with our collective memory of Nina Ricci and its potential going forward. Henry hasn’t yet closed that gap, but he’s getting closer.
