Rochas RTW Fall 2023
In a season when many brands are flocking back to Paris Fashion Week in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Rochas took a step back, opting for a presentation instead of a show.
Delivered from the pressure of staging a catwalk spectacle, creative director Charles de Vilmorin appeared to relax, delivering 21 looks that offered a more convincing direction for the French heritage brand than last season’s floundering effort.
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He did it by focusing on eveningwear, which subtly referenced the label’s heyday in the 1950s. The most obvious examples were a ruby red hourglass bustier dress, and a black evening gown that was scooped away in the front to reveal a tulle underlayer.
“It’s a completely different format from a show. In terms of energy, it’s not the same way of seeing or designing the clothes, so for this presentation, I really wanted a much sharper, more nostalgic collection,” de Vilmorin said.
A mannish checked wool coat was tossed over a nude ribbed sweater and a baby blue tulle maxiskirt, evoking a woman leaving a party in the wee hours, still giddy from the dance floor.
Even the daywear felt dressy, with items including python-print wide-legged pants; an ivory pantsuit and blouse with a ruffled midriff, and a duster coat in a jacquard motif inspired by the designer’s greyhound Terreur.
A black turtleneck dress with a wool lace skirt suggested that knitwear remains an underexplored segment for the label.
While the presentation, staged in a building near Avenue Montaigne that is undergoing renovation, was slow and slightly disjointed, it offered a more cohesive vision — one that respected the couture heritage of the house, but still felt in tune with a generation that’s no longer bound by dress codes.
Launch Gallery: Rochas RTW Fall 2023
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