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Alexandre Vauthier is a designer well-equipped to tackle our cultural moment. His clothes are, after all, the embodiment of sex appeal-laden glamour, the kind that women are finding themselves drawn to in the era of post-Covid ‘revenge’ dressing. He’s the designer of choice for women who want to be looked at, who feel at their most confident in a razor-short mini skirt and towering stiletto heels. For Spring/Summer 2022—a collection Vauthier unveiled via a Karim Sadli-lensed lookbook, rather than a runway show—he gave his customer plenty more to revel in.
The collection was a tight 22 look offering, some of which were office friendly—oversized pinstripe suits, boxy ‘80s-style leather blazers, voluminous trench coats cinched at the waist—others that were less so. Embellished chainmail dresses, strapless sequin cocktail dresses with marabou feather trim, and bold statement wrap tops in a statement shade of cyan all added to the ‘Roaring 20s’ feel that designers have been quietly referencing this season. From Prada, where Miuccia Prada Raf Simons ushered in a new era of ‘neo-sensuality’ with leather mini skirts and de-boned corsetry, through to Riccardo Tisci’s derriere-exposing trench coats at Burberry.
Vauthier made unexpected additions to the lineup too. An oversized coat covered in hand-dyed ostrich feathers and smattered with crystals was the undeniable standout piece (critics have suggested it will retail ‘in the five figures’ range), a slightly more absurdist, irreverent take on the usual definition of ‘after dark’ dressing. Vauthier told press that the Covid-19 pandemic had, predictably, had a financial impact on his namesake label, but was quick to assert that the last 18 months had unexpected benefits for his creativity. “During the crisis we obviously lost money,” he told French ELLE. “But in terms of creativity, I found that it was largely beneficial. It totally boosted me.” We love to see a silver, rhinestone-embellished lining wherever we can.
