The "Fancy" Coat

Guy Laroche SS20

As a child I remember my mother having a “fancy coat” in her closet. An elegant plaid wool cocoon coat. I could play dress up with it and feel so posh. The coat is a Guy Laroche and still hangs in her closet as one of her good pieces. Guy Laroche was the design genius that brought life changing silhouettes into women’s lives in the form of the coat dress and the shirt dress. Belt it, wear it with good shoes, a nice scarf and some understated earrings and you have an effortlessly pulled together look.

When I arrived at the Guy Laroche show at Place Vendome it felt like my fashion journey coming to a full circle in a way. The design house that I based a large part of my foundational style upon has invited me to view its upcoming collection and I was beyond excited. A large crowd of people filled in the courtyard outside of the entrance. After an appropriate amount of pushing around, I finally made my way in and found a very chic atmosphere reminiscent of an early 80s lounge. There was a grand piano being softly played in the center while the who’s who of fashion swirled around it greeting each other with double cheeked air kisses.

The show itself was spectacular. Clean lines, geometric and refined. Circular cutouts in all the proper places on a woman’s figure just showing enough skin. Every piece looked like it was vacationing in Monte Carlo. A beautiful brown base color was complimented by white and accented by dark blues. The long gowns always swept down the runway in just such a way that said, I own this. I think the finale piece with its long half cape cascading and deep-V plunge neckline would make a wonderful friend for the plaid coat that started it all for me.