The timing couldn’t have been better. Just as the models streamed out together for Haider Ackermann’s finale, the clouds broke outside the Palais de Chaillot and sunshine poured in through the giant Eiffel Tower–facing windows, lighting up a parade of gorgeous pastel panne velvet. Ackermann has a reputation as Paris’s broodiest artiste, known for a dark, moody palette and a penchant for draping that sometimes errs on the droopy side. He was up to something a bit different today, and it started with his dreamily hued velvet—in lemon yellow, blush pink, pale blue, and lilac—with punk-but-pretty mohawks to match. We’ve seen color play a starring role at other shows this week, notably Dries Van Noten and Lanvin, but here it was an authentic surprise. It’s likely nobody walked in wanting a pair of green chartreuse satin pants with a dusty pink and faded blue waistband, but some of us walked out that way.
The other virtue of this collection was its diversity. Jacket-wise, Ackermann put a lot of options on the runway, from shrunken leather motos to languid men’s dressing gowns to a double-breasted blazer trim enough to tuck into trousers. Pant styles, meanwhile, ranged from Friday night at the club (black leathers) to Sunday morning at Les Puces (frayed and patched cargos). Only laser-cut leggings stood out as a mistake in a lineup that was otherwise pretty free of them. The lacy pantyhose peeking out from under waistbands was a styling effect, strictly runway only. Dresses weren’t the focus, but the ones he did show scored high on the wearability meter, especially a bias-cut black velvet number worn with a matching jacket.
