PARIS - "It's the story of women, women who don't need men," says Guy Laroche's designer Marcel Marongiu of his revealing, even kinky, fall-winter 2013-14 offering.
With this mantra, the Franco-Swedish designer explored a whole new terrain this season, to say the least.
See-through lingerie shifts, rock-and-roll leather and even fierce bondage straps moved on quite dramatically from the classical codes of the house.
The sumptuous evening wear was still here though, served up with a bang in shocking pink and purple silk gowns, and several looks in blinding navy rhinestone.
"It's taken some time as Guy Laroche is such a famous name, but this is now the real me you're seeing," said Marongiu, who's now been at the design helm some five years.
His mind seems to be an overly busy place.
He cited the style of Jimi Hendrix and Prince as inspirations — seen in the revealing sexuality of exposed nipples.
Less obvious in Paris was the reference in the program notes to the the androgyny of 1940s Marlene Dietrich.
Men's tailoring in jackets and aviation gear, such as some large shearling bombers, did, however, get some of the male-female message across.
And there were some great statement bombers, another nod to the fall trend: coats as the new accessory.
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Thomas Adamson can be followed at http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP
