How big should fashion be?
Matthew Williams, who presented a positively gorgeous video for an unusually Californian 1017 Alyx 9SM collection, told me the biggest change hes seen this past year is in the appetite for video. Weve always made films for Alyx, he said, but the industry, buyers and customers are much more open to looking at fashion film as a way of presenting. Theyre really watching these videos. Ive noticed that when I go to, say, Dover Street, groups of twenty-somethings move from section to section like pilgrims on some kind of religious journey, checking in on the various collections and genuflecting. Theyre not even there to buy anythingthe knowledge, and now all these books, videos, and content, are just as much products as the clothes themselves. People are taking the time to embrace and watch and really look and feel, as Williams put it. Courtesy of Lemaire. Courtesy of Lemaire. Courtesy of Lemaire. So with all that in mind, seeing something that just grooves is a relief to the eye and mind. No crisis herewe know exactly what were doing. Both Lemaire and Herms are brands that always stick to their guns. This can be held against you if youre a novelty act, but if youre a designer like Christopher Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran, or Hermss Vronique Nichanian, consistency is a sign of integrity. When every brand is trying to reinvent itself, return to some other era, or get Cactus Jack to send you, there is an extremely satisfying serenity in clothing, like Lemaires, that is designed for the grounded sophisticate, and like that of Hermes, which makes objects for living well. Lemaire in particular lacked a certain crispness this season, but in a very good waythese were the simple cottons and khakis that a brand like Banana Republic is trying to take mass with just a few drops of fashion. Not too much. And Herms, one of the only brands in the world with a sense of humor, showed a bit of that with very cool big shorts and tie-dyed sweaters. It was blissfully hype-free.