Cecilie Bahnsen RTW Spring 2023
It seemed like a twist of fate — the heavens opened as guests were arriving to see Cecilie Bahnsen’s “We Are Water” collection on Wednesday, the one day this week in Paris with no rain forecast.
Inspired by Yoko Ono’s 2013 retrospective at the Louisiana Museum in Denmark, Bahnsen’s silhouettes undulated through the courtyard of the Paris Mint, made up of asymmetric layers, many punctuated by wavy motifs made from uncut jacquard fil coupé fabrics.
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The set, featuring water-filled glasses and vases commissioned from artist and glassblower Nina Nørgaard, represented the team effort involved in creating the collection, the designer explained in a preview.
Bahnsen’s dreamy yet quirky signature dresses are immediate head-turners on the street — and how they are styled by her cool girl following in real life was a key inspiration this season, she said. Her “intentionally imperfect” dresses — many with contrasting sleeve details — were layered with vaporous organza aprons, lightweight ribbed knits and a new addition, Japanese denim.
The denim pieces came by way of wide, heavy ivory pants and a cute jacket cropped and gathered at the waist, almost like a blank canvas under or over which to apply her airy creations. Crinolines lent structure to modern-day hoop skirts that bobbed, while others, more lightweight, appeared to float down the runway. Bahnsen’s familiar floral motifs found their way, meanwhile, onto more experimental pieces in a silvery fabric made from recycled paper.
Collaborations this season included the label’s ongoing tie-up with Mackintosh, which made for a voluminous balloon-sleeved overcoat in pastel blue, perfectly cut to pair with one of her dresses on a rainy day, as well as a teaser with Asics that saw the designer adding whimsical touches like floral embroideries to 50 pairs of deadstock sneakers. A larger-scale project is set for next year.
Launch Gallery: Cecilie Bahnsen RTW Spring 2023
