Isabel Marant RTW Fall 2020

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“Those stirrup pants. I’m sweating to get a pair,” said an editor as the Isabel Marant show let out into the kind of freezing night that made lush shearlings and thick knits equally attractive prospects.

“It’s one of the first seasons where I didn’t have a specific theme. I just wanted to do very cozy, elegant clothes that you won’t want to throw away,” the French designer said backstage. “Warming and reassuring things that you feel well in. I think it’s because of the times we live in.”

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And the fall will certainly be cozy, given the lush knits for her and him, the wide wool capes or the sharp coats. Even sweater dresses were sultry rather than schlubby, with curve-defining shapes knit into their pattern. A crisp, light palette peppered with a Scandi-looking floral motif felt fresh and ideal to cut against the gray urban vistas that the Marant fan inhabits. Shoulders went even bigger than previous seasons, jutting to Montana-esque proportion.

But the biggest story was legs, or rather the lack thereof. In keeping with her questioning about what her customers might need, Marant cut a mean array of trousers, including those envy-inducing stirrup ones while for skirts and dresses, hemlines went no higher than the midi mark.

Covered up as it might be, this collection was undeniably Marant. Over the past couple of seasons, she has been slowly switching gears, angling the brand toward the traditional luxury clientele while keeping her devotees happy — a fine balance but a cozy one to be sure.

Launch Gallery: Isabel Marant RTW Fall 2020

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