Guillaume Henry has the goodwill of the fashion community. He gave Carven, which was a defunct couture house when he arrived in 2009, a global profile and a distinctive look. Women responded to Carven’s gamine sensibility, and the brand grew quickly, opening a store in New York. Tonight’s show was Henry’s second for Nina Ricci, but he hasn’t yet found his footing. It’s an issue more of tone than execution, though both play a part. His backstage mood board was pinned with pictures of Romy Schneider in the 1971 film Max et les Ferrailleurs, and images of ’90s models like Kate Moss, Nadja Auermann, and Kristen McMenamy. “I’d love men to fall in love with [the Nina Ricci woman],” he said.
That’s not a bad goal, but this was provocation without seduction, a fact that came down to the stiffness of some of his materials, the sheerness of others, and a generally slack, away-from-the-body silhouette. The show’s patent ostrich skin had a glossy, almost lurid sheen, but it was about as unyielding as materials get. The black-and-white cowhide coat and apron-dress weren’t much more forgiving. This will no doubt make us sound both American and prudish: Considering Nina Ricci is a brand historically known for its lingerie, it would’ve been nice to see a bra underneath Henry’s sheer organza blousons. But his see-through wrap skirts were an even bigger miss. The best pieces here were the micro-plissé shifts which enhanced the models’ natural hourglass shapes. Henry should keep them in mind when he begins working on his next collection.
