Hermès Spring 2022 (2)
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Who else but Hermès could arrange to land a plane as part of their finale? The reveal of the runway from the (fashion) runway happened all the way out at Le Bourget airport—the climax of a show which Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski planned as an immersive experience conveying optimism, the sun, and hope.
At first, we’d been enclosed in a cylindrical installation, with a panorama of mobile panels of sunshine yellow—hand-painted color-fields by the artist Flora Moscovici, which were gliding slowly around the perimeter as models walked.
It provided a calming backdrop for viewing the collection which was, on one level, “about solar glow and how positive it is,” and, on another, about Vanhee-Cybulski’s thoughts on how women will want to dress for re-entering the world.
“I think that has changed,” she said. “For me it’s really about clothes that enable you to move freely. I think it’s not about going to anything too casual—I think it’s about making an effort, but also the ability to move within your clothes.”
In pursuit of that balance between practicality, comfort, and sensuality, she landed on shapes that combined drawstring waists and structured bra tops, athletic cutaway shoulders, and easy plissé bottoms.
Believe it or not, the crop top and baggy pants—the trend worn by teenagers all over the world since summer 2020—has traveled all the way up to the heights of Hermès. In its most ultra-sophisticated of forms, of course.
Super-refined pale, buttery yellow/orange pieces in insanely crafted leather and matching knitwear were at the core of this collection—the sunny part. There was an astonishing collarless coat, miniskirt, and crop top that were made from an intricate tessellation of cut-out tan leather rectangles—which had then been embroidered onto a sheer gauze background.
Other, darker leathers transmitted a definite batsqueak of sexuality: a corseted dress, minimal shifts, a black leather pantsuit; a pair of leather overalls with nothing underneath.
All of this was subsumed into a collection made with all the attention to craftsmanship that belongs to the house: the tiny metallic ‘pearl’ studs hammered into leather panels; the eyelets which refer to Hermès horse-tack heritage; the new cylindrical bags with horse bit handles.
Ironically, it was raining dreadfully in Paris as Vanhee-Cybulski unveiled her smart understanding of the lifestyle of the Hermès woman. It made for a long, unglamorous drive back into the city for most people. But thinking of next summer, it wasn’t at all hard to imagine the kind of customers who’ll be packing all this when they fly off to the sun.
