DAP Showroom PFW
Loraine Holmes presented her new Resort 2020 capsule collection, "Virginia," at Paris Fashion Week 2020. From February 26th to March 3rd, 2020, she showcased her new Resort 2020-2021 capsule collection at the DAP (Develop Above Perfection) showroom in Paris. With the support of Istituto Marangoni, the Chilean designer took her first steps toward internationalizing her eponymous brand. The collection, comprised of 20 pieces made with sustainable, Latin American-made fabrics, is a celebration of her roots and a tribute to her great-grandmother, Virginia Trivelli. Key colors for the season include lilac and canary yellow, along with other hues such as light blue, turquoise, nude, caramel, and beige.
I was invited to present my new collection during Paris Fashion Week. Without a doubt, it's the biggest challenge I've faced so far in my professional career and a tremendous opportunity. First, to understand how the industry works on a global scale, and second, to be able to show the world my work and, of course, to represent Chile abroad (as best as possible). With very little time but immense enthusiasm, I prepared everything to embark on this adventure.
Participating in Paris Fashion Week was truly incredible, inspiring, exhausting, and totally surreal. It's probably the most anticipated date on the global fashion calendar, and as a grand finale... It is, it brings together all the relevant figures in the industry.
The very day I landed, while having lunch at L'Avenue restaurant with my friend Jaime Aguilera on the Champs-Élysées, we had Kendall Jenner eating at the table behind us, less than a meter away! Then, on the opening day of the showroom (located in none other than the five-star Royal Monceau Hotel, in the iconic Arc de Triomphe district), I bumped into Gigi Hadid leaving the hotel. The next day, I ran into her again (I discovered she was staying there) heading to the Harper's Bazaar US cocktail party, wearing a spectacular long white embroidered Chanel coat. A moment I managed to capture, like the good fan/paparazzi I am, and share on my stories. And as the icing on the cake, I managed to personally deliver (yes, you read that right, in her hand) a jacket from the new collection as a gift to Leandra Medine Cohen, better known as @Manrepeller, whom I adore and have followed since the beginning.
I also had the wonderful opportunity to do a photoshoot for the brand in the Jardin des Tuileries, with the talented photographer @alvagalim and makeup artist @talymakeup. The model casting was managed from Chile through the agency SOS. I think the photos will turn out very interesting; we wanted to take advantage of a typical Parisian location and convey the spirit of this capital city.
One of the most fascinating things about experiencing fashion week is the energy of the people; it's so intense and fast-paced, everyone rushing from one place to another in their best outfits. This translates into the perfect setting to gather inspiration and study street style trends. Parisian women have a very particular style, which sets them apart from other fashion capitals. They have a natural look, a casual elegance that perfectly embodies a chic-low profile , but with plenty of charm and sensuality. I find that look captivating. As for trends, I love the masculine touch in the clothing, the maxi and mini bags that are still going strong, the boom in yellow, and the different shades of purple. Jacquemus, Bottega Veneta, and The Row continue to be some of the favorite brands among the influencers I've seen on the streets.
The DAP showroom was set up in one of the presidential suites of the Royal Monceau Hotel, and I was assigned a very cool spot—inside the bathroom! It was all mirrors with a giant bathtub in the center. The concept was very modern and well-developed, perfectly harmonizing with the brand.
Some of the other designers present were also Latin American, such as Palma Canaria and Alexandra Bueno. We had many visits from buyers from different parts of the world, as well as influencers. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus, some of them had to return to their countries early. We were visited by important media outlets. such as Paris Match, Glamour, Vogue Latam, L'Officiel Argentina, and The Collective, among others. I was featured by Kelly Tamalas as one of the 10 Latin American brands that the world should be watching, as well as at LAFS (Latin American Fashion Summit) by Samantha Tams.
Without a doubt, the best part of my experience was meeting my Latin American colleagues and the DAP organizers, with whom we became friends and after our exhausting days we would all go together to enjoy the spectacular French wines and cuisine 🍷.
