Kym Ellery moved to Paris from Australia last year, settling in Le Marais, which is still one of the city’s coolest neighborhoods. She’s been particularly mesmerized by the dress codes of the most bourgeois parts of town, including the famous Avenue Montaigne, known as La Grande Dame of luxury shopping destinations. Ellery’s references were clear in the tailored glen check looks that opened the show, which jibed with the buttoned-up, business-first aesthetic that has been popping up all month long.
Still, you can take the girl out of Sydney, but you can’t take Sydney out of the girl, or at least not the laid-back, hippie spirit of the Australian city. A psychedelic streak ran through the collection, and was most apparent in the swirling tie-dye-style prints that were created by Ellery’s mother, a textile designer. They were most effective on the slinky turtleneck sweaters and the Latex-coated midi-length lace dresses in the lineup.
Bourgeois aspirations aside, Ellery’s approach to fashion has always had a bohemian vibe, and her trademark extreme flares and bell-sleeved blouses were instantly recognizable in the crowd that gathered at the show. She explored the idea of statement sleeves with fringing this season, and the movement of those all-black looks was reminiscent of the witchy drama she has conjured in the past. Accessories are becoming a solid part of Ellery’s business, with trippy, lava-lamp-like Perspex-heeled ankle boots grounding her cropped pants. The sculptural mismatched earrings of spring were updated with pieces that appeared like miniature modernist light fixtures out of some chic Parisian living room, an unexpected French twist that will translate easily into a cool girl wardrobe.
