DUBAI: Her debut collection for Chloé – Spring/Summer 2018 – was met with a rapturous reception during Paris Fashion Week earlier this year. Now, creative director Natacha Ramsay-Levi is back with her second round for Fall 2018.
Feminine yet edgy, Chloé’s latest — made of fabrics including tweed wool, wool gabardine and Prince of Wales checks — features contrasts of matte and shine, colored by a palette made up of wood, terracotta, mocha, midnight blue, grey, beige, khaki and white. Sharp tailoring is the order of the day, with signature items including a classic blanket cape, caban coat, riding blazer, and a “saharienne” jacket. Long-sleeved dresses and high flared trousers that elongate the silhouette complete the collection.
Releasing alongside the womenswear collection is a number of accessories, including the much-awaited new Chloé sneaker, available in both high and low-top styles. Other footwear to look out for is the brand’s pointed boots. Crafted on a stacked Cuban heel, these easy-to-wear, suitable for day-to-evening boots are available in ankle, mid-calf or thigh-high versions.
A couple of Ramsay-Levi handbag creations return here. The Drew Bijou — which first made an appearance during the SS18 runway show — is now available in burnished “sfumato” tobacco leather, leopard print calfskin or rounded quilting. The Roy bag, meanwhile, is being introduced as a bucket bag with canvas drawstring insert.
The appointment of Ramsay-Levi by the French luxury fashion house was considered one of the biggest stories in fashion in 2017. Not only was the designer leaving her prestigious post as design director for Louis Vuitton, she was also taking over from Clare Weight Keller — yes, she who designed Meghan Markle’s wedding dress — who herself left to accept a role at Givenchy.
Describing her work, Ramsay-Levi told the New York Times: “I always like to have something that is a bit wrong – nothing too bourgeois,” citing inspiration ranging from New Wave cinema to Cycladic artefacts. “I call it vintage in the future.”
Chloé, of course, is a name that needs no introduction. Founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion – a Parisian of Egyptian-Jewish origin – the brand now brings in sales of around $417.20 million.
Since its inception, Chloé has garnered a legion of famous faces as fans, including Jackie Kennedy, Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly in the 1960s, to the likes of Kristen Dunst, Natalie Portman and Zendaya now.
The move also looked to change the artistic of direction of Chloé — transforming from flowy, feminine silhouettes, to something a little edgier.
It’s interesting to see what’s next for Chloé and Ramsay-Levi, but one thing’s for certain, with alumni including Stella McCartney, Karl Lagerfeld and Phoebe Philo, she’s certainly in good company.
