Designers have been thinking along escapist lines this season, referencing all the most alluring, hedonistic destinations on the map—Ibiza, Marrakech, et cetera. (You can hardly blame them, given the dire state of the Western world right now.) Isabel Marant has had wanderlust in her veins for decades. Indeed, she practically wrote the book on modern bohemian living. In lieu of boarding a plane for inspiration, however, the French designer bundled her brand into a time capsule for Spring, transporting guests at her show tonight to the last days of disco.
This is undoubtedly familiar territory for Marant. With silvery streamers and balloons decorating the space in the Tuileries, the theme of the collection was a dead giveaway before the lights even went up. The likes of Kaia Gerber and Anna Ewers came striding out in shimmering silver going-out tops and micro shorts that seemed purpose-built for the dance floor.
Marant never fails to offer up a compelling party boot, and this season there were several variations on her classic take—always slouchy, sometimes studded, and reliably walkable—all destined for retail success. Despite the designer’s globe-trotting instincts, she rarely strays from her tried-and-true formula. To wit, there were many recognizable neo-hippie elements in the collection that spoke to her nomadic impulses, including embroidered bolero jackets and ruffled paisley-print frocks. Marant has successfully managed to export the idea of French-girl cool all over the world, and her new makeup collaboration with L’Oréal is a testament to that. Her Parisian brand of beauty—effortless, natural, undone—still has global appeal and doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. Still, it would be exciting to see Marant in discovery mode again sometime soon.
