PARIS..Cardin, Balmain, Rick Owens, Nina Ricci, Balenciaga

Nina Ricci, Peter Copping, stepped up to the color trend as well as ruffling and paper bag waists which all seem to be the emerging trend. The collection veered from simple clean and chic to confections of ruffles and feathers. Somehow, his use of black seemed out of place and some of the color combinations seemed a bit awkward but there were bright spots----literally and figuratively.

Balmain, Christophe Decarin, is nothing if not consistent but the punk rock star theme lacks the flash and dash of past collections. Yes, there are safety pins and torn hose but the ripped up cutoffs are a bit de trop. The overall look seems to have been designed by Madonna’s daughter rather than the man who delivered $20,000 rock star jackets and gowns. Mr. Decarin is running the risk of losing his audience very quickly with a collection like this.

Balenciaga, Nicholas Ghesquiere, remains in his techno mode but this time out with bold graphics and even flat shoes. Having built his loyal coterie of followers, he provided just enough for them to gobble up and cherish. Somehow, the absence of the skyscraper heels resulted in a more approachable collection and yet stayed true to his path. This was not a watershed collection but this was not hitting the replay button.

Rick Owens….there’s always too much intellectualizing and this collection but this season delivered a collection that did not require the verbiage as the clothes spoke for themselves. There were hints of vintage Jil and perhaps a few of the Japanese, but Spring provided plenty of the signatures of Rick Owens and plenty to attract new clientele as well. Razor sharp, constructed and extreme but more than a few fleeting moments of true beauty.

Pierre Cardin returned to the runway this season with the same consistency and originality that has become a trademark for his brand. It is often hard to distinguish between the brand and the createur but never think that Cardin, the designer, is out of the game. The show presented his space age moments his signature clean lines as well as his bows and his draping; he will never be accused of being Johnny one note. Keep in mind he was the first to solely own his own empire and still does which is more than we can say about almost any other company with similar revenue. He should be respected and revered for having been a pioneer in this business