Alainpaul RTW Spring 2024
Alain Paul has a 10-year career under his belt working for brands including Vetements and Louis Vuitton. With his debut show at Paris Fashion Week, he signaled that he’s ready for his solo performance.
The designer, who goes by his first name like his former boss Demna, trained as a dancer from an early age and said it has shaped the way he works more than any other experience. Fittingly, the show took place on the stage of the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris. “I’m choreographing clothes,” he said in a preview.
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Tailored looks with tilted shoulder constructions and trompe-l’oeil fabrications (think skirts worn as tops) owed more than a passing debt to Demna’s work at Balenciaga.
Alain Paul seemed to find his own groove with looks inspired by images of Rudolf Nureyev rehearsing and the Pina Bausch troupe performing “The Rite of Spring.”
Warm-up pants with extra-wide folded waistbands, done in pinstriped wool or flowing cupro, were worn with shiny leotards, while sheer slipdresses came in layers with two distinct necklines to underline a body in motion.
The designer, who cofounded the label with his partner Luis Philippe, knows he’s still finding his own voice. “I cannot say I’m going to be the one changing fashion — not yet,” he said. “I’m not here to be disruptive. I’m here to be me, I’m here to be honest.”
This solid start suggested he has logged enough practice to step out from the shadows. Now he just needs to spread his wings.
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Launch Gallery: Alainpaul RTW Spring 2024
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