For their sophomore outing at Carven, the designers Alexis Martial and Adrien Caillaudaud continued on their nouveau mod track. A sporty aesthetic with a flirty flair punctuated with bold prints but that still maintaining a streamlined core.
The duo alluded to having been inspired by nautical regalia for their Spring/Summer 2016 show. But if there was a sartorial connection to that premise on the catwalk, it was as light as an ocean breeze. Perhaps the circle motif on skirt edges that brought to mind Life Savers candies was actually intended to mimic the real thing. Maybe the abundant pairing of blue and white shades was a subtle reference to seafaring. And a case could be made for the glossy neoprene-like stiff suiting alluding to a wet suit. For sure the top with an embroidered image of a scuba diver floating across the chest was a dead giveaway.
But there was just something about this collection that felt too polished, too remote. Unless, that is, your name is Barbie. Just hours after the show, the iconic doll was already photographed sporting mini-me versions of some of the outfits from the collection on the brand’s Instagram feed. Her cool, perfect veneer ended up being the perfect foil for the fashions Carven was offering this season.
