Illicit Games
It was in the new Carole de Bona space, which just recently opened on Avenue Montaigne, that Belgian designer Xavier Delcour presented his Only for Men collection in his second Parisian fashion show. "Illicit Games" is the collection's theme, which was emphasized by the heady soundtrack comprised of sampled guitar riffs. All of the pieces are in place: a subtly deviant, ambiguous style which draws from both strict classicism and rebellious iconoclasm, between virility and sentimentality. Colors are at a minimum; black predominates, occasionally contrasted with white, and there is some washed-out denim and rare flashes of bright green or pale pink. From a distance the silhouettes seem rather classical, but with a closer look one discovers the surprising details that define the collection. Tiny pearls outline pockets and seams, or fall in a fine chain from the shoulders of a t-shirt. Braiding or satin appliqués adorn the shoulders and front pocket of a jacket, and pants feature double belts. Naïve stars are drawn out in rhinestones on the front or back of t-shirts, or else are cut-out cookie cutter style. Xavier Delcour also cultivates a poetic style out of that which is unfinished or recycled: coats with frayed, unfinished hems on the back, unmounted sleeves, uncut pieces at the crotch of a pair of pants, a top still in the throes of construction, a roughly cut denim vest, washed-out jeans with torn-off pockets, notches on the collars of t-shirts. Tongue-in-cheek humor found its place in the various "I'm a ____" inscriptions (ex: "I'm a Mess") and the "beauty" labels. There were also "opposite" t-shirts with one black and one white side, false collars and a contrasting drawn-on front pocket. On a more romantic note were the sleeveless shirts with lace dickeys.
Virginie Transon
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