Fall Overview by Carine Roitfeld

"There's a rather curious sense of contradiction in the air this season. For fashion has always been a quest for novelty and innovation, constantly changing from one season to the next. And yet for Autumn/Winter 2010-11, it is championing the right not to innovate at any price. Of course, this doesn't mean that we can expect a surge of retro collections or sweeping vintage mania, but more of a move back to time-honoured classics - those enduring pieces that confer both status and stature on the wearer. This shift is visible in the sharp masculine tailoring and suiting that hit the runways this season, along with stricter, more traditional lines, trusty neutral tones - blacks, greys and beiges - and robustly authentic fabrics, including flannel, Prince of Wales, tartans, houndstooth, cashmere, leather and fur. Spectacular effects have given way to a more serene strength, in which a well-grounded "body & soul" on the move takes pride of place. The fashion world hasn't so much forfeited the pleasures of life per se, as decided that this time round it would tap into a more natural style and an indomitable sense of well-being. Which explains the presence of the season's other star performer: knitwear - morning, noon and night - in its myriad and most luxuriant forms, either sheer and refined or with a rawer, handicraft feel, setting the cursor on a much sleeker look. The message is clear, the point being to focus on what really matters: real everyday living."

- Carine Roitfeld -

Editor-in-chief

Vogue Paris Hors Serie