Carven showcases new sporting spirit

By

Chenu Alexis

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Jun 27, 2016

The Carven fashion label put on a real performance for its 300 guests at the Nikki Diana Marquardt Gallery in Paris. The occasion was the announcement of the label's change in ownership, the Bluebell group now being the majority shareholder, and the presentation of the brand's new CEO, Sophie de Rougemont.

For his third collection at Carven, Barnabé Hardy has broken with presentation and catwalk tradition by replacing models with performers from the dance collective "I could never be a dancer", rocking to the music of artist and DJ Yuksek, and featuring a huge piece of elastic to liven up the venue and the dancers' various sets.

Carven's menswear line is looking to move into a sportier direction in the forthcoming seasons, while remaining distinctively creative. The Spring/Summer 2017 collection follows this Barbabé Hardy-inspired vein, with "a creative, wearable mood, Hardy explained, meant to feature throughout future collections, with special emphasis on the fabrics we continue to develop exclusively, and targeting ordinary men."

The collection opened with a series of items inspired by flying and lightness. Barnabé Hardy drew inspiration from hot-air balloons, feathers and balls for his choice of motifs and prints on shirts and sweatshirts. He also borrowed from cartography and ethnic designs, and from the Earth's colours as viewed from the sky.

Among other signature outfits which made a special impression were the flowing parkas in red, khaki or day-glo nylon, the two-tone, reversible seersucker jackets, and several jacket-shorts combos in monochrome, seersucker fabric or stripes.

Besides ready-to-wear apparel, Carven's menswear line for next summer has boosted the accessories segment. Carven broadened the footwear selection, introducing a hybrid look which is a mix between boat shoes, sneakers and sandals, featuring pixelated ethnic prints or a new, lightweight take on the Dr Martens model. The new range also includes several bags and a wholly revamped version of the famous hip pack.