Since Guillaume Henry took over as creative director of Carven in 2009, we’ve seen him create some truly inspiring fashion, especially with his newly-formed men’s collection; but his womenswear line is making a statement all on its own. For the Fall 2014 collection, Henry opted for bold, bright color, pairing it with black and grey staples for winter. Everything was very lady-like, but he added in bits of print and leather, thigh-high boots to keep it contemporary. It felt like a new level of class for a modern age.
Flushed magenta, mustard yellow, dusty rose and bright blue are some of the more popular colors that litter the new Carven collection. But even when working with such a bright palette the lineup feels far from juvenile—in actuality it's far more sophisticated and pulled together than many other lines done in dark, monochromatic hues. Models came down the runway in coats, dresses and suits holding matching clutches to their chest in a way that mimicked the detached coolness of street style stars.
Aside from the brilliant use of color, Henry made use of thigh high boots to not only add a little edginess to an otherwise sophisticated collection, but to maximize the use of short skirts and dresses for winter. Paired with flared miniskirts and mid-length coats, the tall boots gave each look the appearance of layers and warmth—even if that little peek of thigh might be exposed to the elements. Zippered slits allow pieces to transition well between seasons—pulling it up shows off more skin while open pockets allow peaks of print to show through.
With all the beautiful pieces there were bound to be a few hiccups in the collection, which came in the form of disembodied prints, arrow-pricked figures and shadow hands that seemed to be covering the more intimate parts of models (personally, we’re not into clothes that look like they’re grabbing at our lady bits)—it was at ends with what had been such a skillfully executed collection. Crystal arrow motifs and funky body prints seemed like a last ditch effort to make the brand appeal to a younger audience, undermining all the work that had been put into the first half of the collection to make it both classic and modern.
The bright coats and sexpot boots were the real winners of the collection and will undoubtedly fly of off shelves this fall when they hit stores. Preordering may not be a bad idea considering Carven’s growing popularity and the success of this season. Aside from some of the arrow studded dresses and awkward scribble-faced prints, it was quite beautiful. We want Carven to do well and if these collections are any indication of future success, they will. Now, to figure out how to live without these boots until fall…
