Lanvin Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

The collection featured sheer fabrics, pencil skirts, office-ready dresses and suits as well as a fresh, new handbag collection.

Lanvin featured new handbag styles on their Paris Fashion Week runway moving away from the ultra feminine handbags from the fall collection. There were long straps, structured handbags and cross body mini bags. Lanvin featured beige leather, structured, boxy shoulder bag that was small in size with a long strap. There was also a black shoulder bag with a long strap that featured softer leather and a classic flap. Both shoulder bags had tan leather straps that contrasted the main handbag’s color. The shoulder bags could easily fit normal purse essentials as well as a few extra, small items.

“The whole idea of fashion is to make women fly and to make women beautiful, and to make women glamorous, this is the story of the collection” said Alber Elbaz. This is the mantra that he has been using to resurrect Lanvin to where it is right now. Alber Elbaz designs for real women, not fashion editors, and this attitude translated extremely well (as it always does) for this particular Spring/Summer collection. There were many elements in this collection, from overflowing dresses, stretch fabrics and zippers, sheer fabrics, crystal embroidery that hints at armors or modern tribal, all in the muted colour palettes of grey, blues and neutrals with hints of offbeat bright tones, making every look ooze with glamour, the way Lanvin only can. The designer re-interpreted the writhing coils of a snake in a series of body-moulded sheaths, in pleated stretch silk in pulsating colours, in his spring/summer 2011 collection, shown at the Paris prêt-à-porter season on Friday night.