PARIS - The most Parisienne of the silver screen icons, Catherine Deneuve, was the inspiration behind Roland Mouret's playful, colorful and womanly show at Paris fashion week.
But for fall-winter 2013-14 this was not the shy Deneuve of New Wave classic "Belle de Jour," but the actress of the glamorous 1983 film "The Hunger"— with sharp '80s shoulder pads and garish eye makeup.
The bold palette popular of that era — with its blue marine, russet, beige, black and dark red — worked with panache here in setting off the saleable va-va-voom silhouettes.
As ever, Mouret's derrieres, with long alluring zippers at the back, were the most flattering seen this season. But the most interesting feature was his square details and paneling.
"I focused on ... an 'air de danger,'" said Mouret.
Sometimes softly asymmetrical, the three-dimensional folds of his clothes did give the collection a feeling of being slightly — but successfully — off-kilter.
Sublime statement coats hung down from an incredibly strong retro shoulder-frame — with the best look in ultramarine.
"To arms et caetera" by the late French singer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg ended the show, but it should really have been "to shoulders."
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Thomas Adamson can be followed at http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP
