While Marie Saint Pierre opted to present her S/S ’12 collection in the form of what I gather was supposed to be an intimate installation vs. the conventional runway show, there was a 20 inch mutual separation between the eight gold capped mannequins and the audience. The only time I witnessed crossing of the invisible red line was when a hesitant looking photographer leaped in to get a close up of the intricate criss-crossing of thin faux strips that served as an embellishment on an otherwise simple, little black dress. I felt like I was in the Louvre, yet there, people stand closer to the art work.
Saint Pierre’s S/S ‘12 collection was comprised of, almost entirely, little black dresses. Don’t think of Posh spice; think of your Modern Art professor. Last season, the Montreal based designer showed us intelligent, avant garde juxtapositions of design and fabric combinations. This time around, Saint Pierre created a much softer tone with elegant draping, asymmetrical hemlines and clean silhouettes. The impeccable fit of each dress could prove flattering on any women – something high fashion is rarely ever concerned with. The designs were refined, democratic and sophisticated without losing that edge commonly associated with Saint Pierre’s work. And at the end of the day, what is most admirable is the fashion designer’s ability to create a signature mark so distinctive that no matter what the season’s inspiration, she can practically get away with not having labels sewn into her clothing.
As I left the LG Fashion Week studio reminiscing on the collection, the first thought that came to mind: that was so Marie Saint Pierre.
