Fashion and Show Biz in France

Paris was not burning, but the clothes are ready-to-wearable

The French, who may be the world's canniest people, do like to play crazy. Particularly when being fou like a fox lays a hot trail to the bank. They can be observed at their canniest-craziest at the annual showings in Paris of ready-to-wear fashions for fall and winter. The April r.t.w. cash bash is a come-lately promotion-cum-celebration that in recent years has overtaken the haute couture collections in importance, supports the high-fashion houses, and is largely responsible for drawing nearly $2 billion a year into the French economy. This year's extravaganza was le most.

There were 92 officially scheduled shows, up to ten a day for ten days. The fashion follies packed every hotel in Paris, attracting 130,000 visitors, including more than 4,000 U.S. buyers. With blaring rock music, laser-beam lighting, nightlong partying, topless models, onstage horses and at least one fistfight, the City of Light became Hollywood-sur-Seine.

This year's r.t.w.--the initials could as well stand for razzmatazz-to-wacky--produced no bombshells, but a few Roman candles, and squibs aplenty. It also offered something for just about everyone. The influences, as Le Figaro's Helene de Turckheim noted, could be traced to "the 1940s, the 1950s, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, Star Wars, Close Encounters, the army, the church and even the crowning of Bangui's Emperor Bokassa."

Apart from the photo-grabbing folderol, the top designers--led as usual by Yves St. Laurent--came through with clothes that are both salable and wearable. Trends:

>Black is back, particularly in the little evening dress, which has become even littler. High reds and pulsating purples also dominate the chromatic spectrum.

>The shape is generally structured, though there is a profusion of sacks, smocks, tunics and blousons. Otherwise, waists are cinched back to the hourglass with belts, cummerbunds, sashes and thongs.

>Curves and limbs crawl sinuously out from long, slit-up skirts and blousy, waist-less layers.

>Shoulders are square and padded by day, and by evening become theater in the round.

>Woolen plaids highlight St. Laurent's collection. Other materials include always practical corduroy, soft leather, velvet, and silk.

>The accent is on accent: preposterous pasteboard jewelry, exotic plumes, stiletto-heeled boots, multicolored gloves, and exaggerated hats that would justify any woman's ejection from an orchestra seat.

What bothers buyers is what lies ahead. As one frazzled observer noted, "What can they possibly do as a sequel next fall? Except parade their models down the Champs Elysees?" Chances are the more theatrical showmen are already in line for parade permits.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.