Anthony Alvarez tapped memories of his Franco-Filipino childhood and a recent trip to the Philippines for an upbeat collection that evoked the beachcomber lifestyle.
Tropical references and seaside motifs became prints on silk shirts, embroideries or even seams twisting into a wave motif down the side of denim jeans. A cache of fabrics he has been collecting from the Philippines gave the lineup a thrifted vibe with patchworks of colors and textures, while he recast the traditional Filipino barong shirt as a leisurely top, turning its characteristic U-shaped embroidery into a print livening up the placket of a sporty polo shirt.
Pairing fitted tops and looser, almost baggy, bottoms, he worked a ’90s feel into his silhouettes, nodding to his penchant for surfing and skating. Embellishments of sequins and beads played with the season’s warm palette to reinforce the relaxed mood.
Elsewhere, preppy touches such as cricket sweaters and a trompe-l’oeil trouser style, composed of tailored slacks slung low layered with swimming trunks left visible, made the lineup believable enough, even when strolling between the storied colonnades of France’s National Archives building, where his live runway show was staged.