Laurent Mercier: Irreverently Beautiful & Fun
By: Mari Davis & Michelle Taylor
Photos by FW

PARIS, Jul 8, 2005/ FW/ --- In the aftermath of the terrorist bombings in London, Laurent Mercier’s collection that was shown yesterday at the Musée Galliera took an eerie beauty because all the models had their faces covered with a veil, albeit very contemporary and sassy.

Mercier who is known in the Paris fashion scene for his kooky and irreverent shows always gives his collection a humorous turn, something he had perfected through the years.

And his show yesterday was signature Laurent Mercier as he mixed the very formal atmosphere of couture with embroidered and lacy sweat suits.

But don’t be fooled with the ‘sportswear’ twist because the workmanship and craftsmanship are truly haute couture as each garment showed the hands-on work of Laurent Mercier.

But writing this with CNN on the background reporting on the terrorist bombings in London, and remembering the veiled faces of the models yesterday took away the amusing impertinence quality of the collection.

As known to many, until the 1960s, women have to wear a veil or head cover when visiting a Catholic church (France is a predominantly Catholic country). By having all the models wear veils while walking the runway in barely there clothing, the stark contrast of chasteness (the veil) and sassiness (sexy clothes) just brought forward that the Vatican II edict allowing women to enter the Catholic church without a head cover was correct.

And yet today, the whole world was treated again with religious fanaticism, something that even Laurent Mercier’s genius of making his audience smile cannot take away.

Yesterday, it was a pleasure seeing Mercier’s beautiful collection. Today, the joy is gone, as we face the stark realities of our world.

Laurent Mercier

Laurent Mercier

Laurent Mercier

Laurent Mercier