Dubai, UAE, January 30, 2016:  To mark his ten years as the men’s style director at Lanvin, Lucas Ossendrijver has chosen to go beyond a mere retrospective and look to the very heart of his craft: the garment itself. Heavy basting stitches, shirts printed in faux patchwork and overdyed by hand, jacket sleeves constructed inside out with interior seams in thick cotton thread, hidden belts, a fur coat decorated with metal rings and leather strips… This season, the notion of surprise adds a further sense of poetry to the clothes, bringing a sense of difference, the personality that sublimes the underlying character. A delicate thread hanging from a sleeve, the movement of a slightly wide plaited bracelet on a wrist, the structure of a long scarf with a fringe formed by hanging ribbons… These unexpected details add up to take a silhouette to a further level, and to create a series of unusual experiments in textiles, highlighted by the central idea of craftsmanship, symbolized this season by the symbol of a tool itself, whether a saw or a key, presented as accessories (pendants, keyrings) or printed on knits.

The studio and ateliers entered into a unique period of research and development, with the constant implication of Lucas Ossendrijver throughout the process, to be able to shake the very foundations of the winter wardrobe. The result is one that could only be achieved by this exceptional artisanal “savoir-faire” to bring about this tension between graphic effects and potential breaking points: cords are plaited on a leather biker, a coat is constructed entirely inside out , or sprayed dyed with paint to create a shadow effect, a blouson features a patchwork of suede and pony like calfskin… Though the fabrics may appear as traditional, it is the idea of the traditional masculine wardrobe itself which is subtly subverted, such as a sleeveless jacket in Japanese tweed with exterior trim, whose collar has been cut off and its darts stitched together. Or a coat in pleated needle-punched wool with a miniature Prince of Wales check on one side and contrasting check on the other. An aviator jacket reveals a piece of knit as if merely placed over one shoulder, while a suit jacket is cut like a blouson, the mandarin collar closed with an oversized zip.

This wealth of details also reflects a true sensuality, a kind of nonchalant and comfortable elegance, with generous volumes, wide trousers and fine constructions of merino wool jersey. The cardigans are lined with printed silk, while blousons and shirts are decorated with multicolored embroidery to allow a game of layering and contrasts. Bags are thrown over the shoulder, displaying hand-plaited leather also used for the shoes, and reflecting a technique also used in certain garments within the collection. A reference to Lucas’ ten years at the helm, the iconic trainer reappears here, each pair spray-painted by hand to become a unique one-off item.