GUY LAROCHE – Spring/Summer 2016 | FASHION INSIDER MAGAZINE

GUY LAROCHE: Both Jada Pinkett Smith and I Concur!

November 13, 2015

By Marcellous L. Jones

Photos Courtesy of Guy Laroche

Paris, France – When this writer arrived backstage at the Guy Laroche show at the Grand Palais, I had no idea of what to expect from the sophomore collection from the house’s new artistic director, Adam Adrascik. In him I had heard the rumors of a solitary spirit, who actually prefered to work more alone than to share with his under studies in his atelier the responsibilities (or should I say the burdens) of assuring the success of an entire fashion house. When I came across him, I found him to be discreet, yet very concentrated. After introductions between the designer and myself, we decided together to do an interview after the show.

ADAM ADRASCIK at GUY LAROCHE – Spring/Summer 2016

Upon gazing at the first looks as they remained on the hangers, I was naturally unsure about what would unfold on the catwalk in less than forty-five minutes. Then I saw the high-heeled sandals in the collection. I found them strange as there was only the leather soles and the heels. I thought that there was some kind of a mistake. And I wondered, “How on earth could a model wear shoes with no straps to hold them to the feet?” Would they be glued to the models’ feet for the duration of the show? This left me quite unsettled.

Realizing that I needed more and moments before the music and show started, I quickly quit the front row of the main show hall and ran backstage again to watch the show as it unfolded. After all that is where the real action would take place. And that would grant me the birdseye view that I needed to observe Adrascik more carefully during the heat of the moment!

Arriving breathlessly backstage, my air of inquietude dissipated as I saw the now dressed models ready to do battle on the catwalk. It was as if they really understood and truly appreciated their own role in the successful presentation of the collection. They were energized. And in their military inspired prints, they actually looked as if they were ready to wage war against the other houses on the Paris ready-to-wear schedule.

It was a sight to see as the models took to the runway in Adrascik’s work ! I found myself most impressed with the off-the-shoulder dresses with their embellishments. Jada Pinkett Smith (who too was present to for the excitement) and I both concurred that she would look explosive in one of those dresses. And as for the high heeled soles that I saw earlier in the backstage, the models did wear them. They were attached to the feet with a cleverly engineered system using belts!

When the show was done, Adrascik’s admitted to me after the show that he had been a bit nervous. I told him that I found that hard to believe as he had appeared so composed and so casual with just an intriguing hint of aloofness. In the end we were both elated with the results of the collection. And in the opinion of this writer, the collection was one of the fine highlights of the entire Paris season of catwalk shows for Spring/Summer 2016.