A masterclass in Parisian cool

For her second outing as the newly-appointed creative director of Chloé, Natacha Ramsay-Levi drew inspiration from iconic ’70s actresses Sissy Spacek, Isabelle Huppert and Stéphane Audran (the latter in particular often wore Chloé designs from Karl Lagerfeld's 1960s-era designs). With the house also counting Stella McCartney as one of its notable alumni, Ramsay-Levi had big shoes to fill, and thus spent some time in the brand’s archive, studying the silhouettes and prints of the ’60s and ’70s, decontextualizing them through a modernist lens and putting her own spin on things. Her exploration translated into graphic geometric prints, sinuous silk shirt dresses with pointy collars, voluminous flared pants and symbolic gold pendants.

In her mission to develop her own Chloé legacy, the French designer never allowed the theme to become too literal; anything overtly nostalgic was artfully recharged in precisely-cut, super-modern shapes. She also seemed intent on subverting a typically bourgeois wardrobe into something cooler and sexier: a pair of classic black flares came with horizontal thigh-zippers to inject a suggestive edge; silk shirt-dresses were deconstructed with lace insets that revealed just a hint of skin, or cut-outs that exposed the hips; buttons were removed on shirts to create a plunging, open V-neckline that was further emphasized by extra-long medallion necklaces; dresses had dropped waistlines to create extra swish and exude a carefree nonchalance; slouchy cargo pants and jodhpurs diffused the formality of tailoring; and knitwear was sliced at the waist to seductively expose some skin.

Chloé devotees can rest assured, however, that the easy, bohemian spirit the brand traditionally espouses is still very much alive – both in the earthy rust-and-brown palette and in the all-essential floaty dresses that embody French insouciance. What Ramsay-Levi wants to tap into with her eclectic collection is the variation in our sartorial taste buds. In reality, women are not hard-wired to wear just one thing – we like to switch up the way we dress. By teasing out her cinematic theme, she considered the many roles and characteristics that we each possess and illustrated these through a varied collection with substantial layering potential: a cropped, silk-trimmed, baroque lace top can be worn alone with high-waisted pants, or layered beneath a sweater so that the ruffled collar peeks out at the top; chunky gold bracelets were styled over the cuffs of blouses and dresses on the runway, but they will look equally as chic worn alone with a sleeveless top; and the logoed socks that were pulled up over the knee will be just as cool slouched at the calf with ankle boots.

Other themes explored by Ramsay-Levi in this versatile collection include medieval elements such as the lace up leather booties and ornate jewelry – and, in keeping with the brand heritage, equestrian-inspired riding skirts and hardware on the latest crop of handbags that echo back to the brand heritage. Fortifying the suggestion of a multifaceted muse, Chloé FW18 has something for everyone within this whimsical but wearable collection. By not limiting herself to just one leading lady, Ramsay-Levi’s filmic vision presents a modern storyline that captivates with its unexpected plot twists. Essentially, these are clothes that exude an independent and individual attitude – and what could possibly be more desirable than that?

See the brand new collection in the label’s beautiful new campaign video