Strip away Victor Weinsanto’s cabaret theatrics — not that we want him to — and you find a young designer who knows how to cut interesting clothes as well as how to entertain.
Terrific trousers, cool camel coats and tuxedo jackets with swagger aplenty cohabited his spring runway with extreme corsets that extended upward past the face, bringing to mind a sick pet’s “cone of shame,” or jutted rearward into a bustle-cum-train.
There were campy looks you could imagine on “Drag Race France,” interspersed with jolts of sophisticated urban chic, like a white shirt and black skirt combo that echoed the brilliant Donna Karan at her ’90s zenith.
Peacoats came in offbeat colors like papaya and camel coats and tuxedo jackets sported built-in hoods for a bit of edge. Corset lacing figured as a peekaboo slit on a micro mini, and crept up the lower back on high-waisted pants.
The designer chose subterranean nightclub Le Bisou for his venue, installing an arch of flowers like you might find at a wedding. It served as a backdrop for the models to preen and flick their long nails.
He titled the collection “A Perfect Day” with tongue firmly lodged in cheek. Before the show he explained that couples can plan for flawless nuptials, for example, but Mother Nature can always intervene.
“In France, we have an expression, ‘Mariage pluvieux, mariage heureux,’ which means rainy wedding, happy marriage,” he noted.
He recalled a cousin’s wedding in Bordeaux a few years back that was all the more memorable for the torrential rain.
That might explain the wonky veils on a couple of exits, and the grand white gowns that negotiated the narrow aisles at his show. “Say Yes to the Dress” should seriously consider an episode dedicated to Victor in Paris.
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