PARIS (AP) 鈥� If any one piece defines Chlo茅 under , it鈥檚 the blouse. Billowy, ruffled, effortless, and deeply romantic, it captured the essence of her third collection for the house at .
Kamali鈥檚 Chlo茅 woman moves through time, referencing history but never stuck in it, just like the women who sat in the front row, Jerry Hall and Georgia May Jagger, icons of past and present Chlo茅 cool.
Chlo茅 has long been a house that champions women, both in its design ethos and leadership. While some major womenswear brands continue to be helmed by men, Chlo茅 has laudably remained a platform for female designers, shaping fashion through their perspective. German-born Kamali, now three collections in, continues to refine her vision within that tradition.
This season, blouses weren鈥檛 just a focal point, they were the foundation. Cut in ivory and peach silk, some had commanding sleeves and meaty cuffs that gave them the oomph of jackets. Wide-legged, low-slung trousers paired with gold logo belts nodded to a familiar boho ease, while slip dresses 鈥� cut on the bias in soft pastels 鈥� skirted the line between languid and sensual. Fur-trimmed quilted coats and Victorian-style heirloom jackets layered over plunging Henley knits injected a tougher, more urban edge. Accessories followed suit, with oversized charm-laden handbags and thick logo belts lending an opulent contrast to the collection鈥檚 airy silhouettes.
鈥淎s I started working on this collection, I felt that moving forward is just as important as honoring the past,鈥� Kamali said. 鈥淚t is about continuing to explore, to redefine and to evolve the Chlo茅 woman鈥檚 state of mind.鈥�
The show setting was simple but expansive, with soft lighting casting a glow over a muted green carpet, keeping the focus on the clothes.
Some may feel the collection flirted with excess, but Kamali sees complexity as intrinsic to the Chlo茅 woman. 鈥淪he embodies complexity and is not defined by a single identity,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he is multifaceted, emotionally charged, and rich with nuance.鈥�
The designer continues to push Chlo茅 into the future while staying grounded in its essence.
鈥淐hlo茅 embodies a unique balance of soft strength, blending natural femininity, sensuality, and lightness with independence and freedom,鈥� she explained. 鈥淔or me, the Chlo茅 woman feels real, and that honesty and connection resonate deeply.鈥�
Maybe it is just the blouse. But for Kamali, it鈥檚 also about the woman who wears it.
Thomas Adamson, The Associated Press
