Stone turned up at the Mugler show last weekend dressed like the late Manfred Thierry Mugler, working with the house on the stunt and with the blessing of Mugler’s partner. Stone wore a look drawn from Mugler’s personal wardrobe, including one of his brooches. Per usual, it was impeccably achieved.
And yet the appearance landed as somewhat misguided. Mugler is a house built partially on provocation, but Mugler, the man, died only a few years ago. Stone arriving with a black veil draped over his head to execute a “reveal” in front of a group of photographers cheapened the feat, and, despite the performance being billed as a homage, it rather felt like an attempt from the brand to hold on to the Mugler legacy by physically inviting him into the space and by too-closely referencing some of his greatest hits. There has to be a better way for Mugler, the house, to preserve its ties with Mugler, the man.
At Dior, Jonathan Anderson is underway with his own ambitious renovation of one of fashion’s most recognizable names. This season, he rendered his collection light and flouncy, but he did not do away with the excess that has thus far defined his vision for Dior: the layers, the jewelry, the footwear, and the bags. Each look is finished with one or two or three or four elements, which makes for a rich picture and a visual feast, but it can be superfluous. The collection was at its most clear when Anderson let a piece or two do the talking: a beautiful coresetted dress that appeared so weightless that it looked unimaginably comfortable, a sheer, little jacket with a short skirt, or some shiny jeans and a frilly blouse. It appears that where Anderson leans on instinct rather than the weight of the Dior language—with its feminine frills,tons of florals, or the Bar jacket silhouette—he has a firmer grasp on what his version of Dior could and should be.
