ABOVE PHOTO: Singer Grace Jones wears a creation as part of the Tommy Now ready to wear Fall-Winter 2019-2020 collection, that was presented in Paris, Saturday, March 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
By Thomas Adamson
associated press
PARIS — A one-off itinerant extravaganza courtesy of American designer Tommy Hilfiger’s “buy-now” collaboration with actress-singer Zendaya gave Paris Fashion Week a case of Saturday night fever. On Sunday, Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli yet again received a standing ovation, and Thom Browne blurred the gender lines.
Here are highlights from fall-winter ready-to-wear shows.
TOMMY’S SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
For Hilfiger’s disco-inspired show, the Champs-Elysees Theatre flashed with Pac-Man and Space Invaders arcade games while excited guests, including British race car driver Lewis Hamilton and model Gigi Hadid, snacked on popcorn and candy jawbreakers.
The show celebrated diversity and was, in terms of sheer energy, unlike any other so far this season. Dozens of dancers on roller skates boogied amid flashing lights to greatest hits from the 1970s.
The collection itself, sadly, felt more high-street than high-fashion and rather paled in comparison to the ambitious spectacle.
Breton stripes led down to flared denim or leather pants, torso-hugging jumpsuits and a shimmering pleated silken gown with a cape the model waved dramatically.
This fashion show was all about the show.
Whoops from the audience erupted as disco icon Grace Jones, wearing a shimmering peaked-shoulder tuxedo, thigh-high boots and leotard — danced out.
The show’s finale track, “We Are Family”, had even fashion insiders with perpetually pursed lips singing along.
ZENDAYA FOR TOMMY HILFIGER
American actress and singer Zendaya, 22, became the latest in a long line of celebrities to try their hand at fashion design in Paris.
The “Spider-Man: Homecoming” star spoke to The Associated Press about receiving a phone call from Hilfiger to discuss a collaboration.
“I got a call from Tommy Hilfiger himself, which was pretty crazy. I was not expecting that,” she said.
Hilfiger gave her, she said, full control of the designs, which drew inspiration from “iconic women” of the late-1970s and early-1980s.
Showing deep industry knowledge, Zendaya also referenced the famous “Battle of Versailles” fashion show held in in 1973 at France’s Palace of Versailles. It pitted American designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Stephen Burrows against French designers Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin and Hubert de Givenchy.
One of the models who walked in the 1973 Versailles show, Pat Cleveland, modeled for Zendaya. Cleveland often is described as the world’s first Black supermodel.
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