Paris – For her first collection at the head of Chloe,
designer Chemena Kamali looked back to the 1970s of the Parisian house and the
blend of feminity and bohemian chic of its then-designer Karl Lagerfeld.
“Coming back to Chloe seemed very natural to me, like coming home, and also
a new beginning,” said the 41-year-old German, who worked for the brand as an
intern and then under the aegis of Phoebe Philo in the early 2000s.
For her first collection in charge, Kamali played with contrasts: feminine
and masculine, chiffon and vinyl, powder pink and military green, white lace
and black thigh-high boots.
One look that seemed to embody the collection was a floaty sheer dress
under a rigid coat of black leather.
Kamali replaced Gabriela Hearst, who lasted just three years at Chloe. Her
sustainability focus earned acclaim but failed to bring a major boost in sales.
Born in Germany and trained at Central Saint Martins in London, Kamali was
poached from Saint Laurent, where she was head of women’s ready-to-wear.
“I want to return to the original roots of the house and build a sensual
Chloe that radiates warmth and positivity,” she said.(AFP)
