AYDAH Foundation

Advancing Health and Improving Youth self development

African Youth Development and Health Foundation,

a non-profit group, organized to

Establish, Prevent and Maintain a comprehensive and efficient healthcare delivery to the youth and underserved communities

Provide opportunities and inspire the Youth through Education, Employment and Empowerment 

Paris Fashion Week: Minimalists and Maxidresses



Some of the recent Spring Ready-to-Wear collections shown at Paris Fashion Week have been playing up the minimalism, and while I can very often be found in raptures over the Galliano and McQueen collections of the world I do have a soft spot for the minimalists as well. Am I the only one? Is it really something we have to choose, to be a minimalist or a maximumist? Like baseball fans in Boston and New York, must we commit to one team or the other? In my house, minimalists and maximumists are both appreciated. What are your thoughts, readers? Are you a minimalist, a maximumist, or both?




Chloé
Hannah MacGibbon's designs are, to me, the most minimalist of the three collections I'm posting today. Her minimalism comes with a good deal of traditional class, I think. The black piece is fabulously classic. I love that the wrap shirt in the second look and the full skirt in the last offer a bit of character. Minimalism and character don't always walk the same path, but Hannah really fused them.


Eli Saab
Eli Saab's color palette was the most minimalistic element to the collection, in my opinion. And I love it; doesn't this just scream spring? The textures and accessories added quite a lot of detail, but it all comes down to the simplicity of the shapes and colors to me. The fourth look, that gorgeous peach maxi with the luxe sleeves, is my favorite of the collection.


Hérmes
Hérmes this season was very rodeo-meets-Mexico-meets-dressage-show, and I even felt a touch of African safari. (It actually struck me as having elements of both Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in Out of Africa. Can you see it?) The leather corsets, fringed shawls, structured bags all offered insights into different times and places and cultures. All this, with a gorgeous color palette, managed to still touch on minimalism. Have we talked about what a genius Jean-Paul Gaultier is yet?


I hope this post shows the kind of character and detail that can go into minimalism. If you were one who thought minimalism was boring before, what are your thoughts on these?

And of course, don't forget to enter our CSN store giveaway if you haven't already! The winner will be announced on Monday!