Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski, the creative director of Hermès, presented a collection that was a tribute to hair. Inspired by the symbolism of hair as a feminine attribute, the collection was rooted in human hair with each chapter representing a different hair color – from crazy red to blond, and ash. The collection was loosely based on the dye-charts of hair colors that every woman recognizes from drug stores around the world.
The collection was not limited to just the hues, but also the techniques and styles used on hair. The braiding was picked up in the front of a sweater, the detail of chunky scarves, and the rippling waves in an intarsia shearling coat. While hair was the theme, the collection was not limited to that alone. It was all about the value of clothes, and the nuances and functionality threaded through the bags and accessories.
One of the highlights of the collection was the square-toed over-the-knee suede boots that went with everything, from the silky plissé beaded dresses to the beginning of the show. The heels, made in the shape of inverted horseshoe nails, were an alternative to stilettos. The technical padded jacket was transformed into a brown duvet-parka with a shoulder-chain and could even unzip into a sleeping bag. The classic Birkin was also given a casual twist with removable cross-body straps.
Vanhee-Cybulski’s approach to design is to bring surprising creativity to classic, conservative templates. “They are archetypes, maybe the most boring clothes on earth, but I want to kind of bring this surprising creativity to them“, she said. “I want to keep this tradition of finding the right balance between the pattern and the fabric“. She believes in keeping alive the science of pattern cutting and draping while also embracing casual styles.