In this 2018 summer collection by Lucas Ossendrijver, clothes combine two naturally opposing elements, work-wear and tailoring, the very heritage of the house of Lanvin. This unusual alliance creates newness throughout the collection; suit jackets have been made in traditional clothes factories, the sleeves may be in Prince of Wales check but the body of the piece is made in work wear fabric. And a slightly creased Japanese cotton jumpsuit with Velcro pockets is worn under a more classic coat, a little oversized. Despite the initial influence of work-wear, these jumpsuits create an overall effect that is somewhat unexpected- blending, mixing and merging. Here, elegance is born from experimentation, like the jockey jacket with red appliqué checks, like contemporary embroidery.

Sportswear influences in its own way, from a jumpsuit cut in half to create jacket and trousers, to a poncho in nylon and silk as light as a breeze. On a coat, a technical membrane is bonded over traditional fabric, the whole combined with knitted patterns and motifs. Under a nylon parka, clever zips turn fishing-inspired shorts into trousers. A bag’s leather, as fine as paper, is bonded with chiffon- experimenting with fabric and tailoring research is very dear to Lucas Ossendrijver, and can be found throughout the collection. Striped T-shirts and sweatshirts are cut for a drape effect, like a trompe l’oeil. The shoulder seam on a polo shirt is simply moved to bring all the volume of the top towards the front, new movement is then created, naturally.

LANVIN menswear spring summer 2018 Paris, June 2017

LANVIN menswear spring summer 2018 Paris, June 2017

On a shirt, the printed faces are those of anonymous people encountered in the street-whose portraits were painted by a Montmartre artist. From all these mixtures is born a certain poetry which impregnates the entire collection, from the dragon print to the accessories, like the hand-shaped pendants created in 3D and covered with leather. A bag has been designed around a gun holster, but instead of a pistol, the bag carries a flute.

“How can we continue to be creative in these chaotic times?” Lucas Ossendrijver asks. “We are continuously inundated with information, we move from one thing to the next without stopping, we have a limited attention span. Normally, I try to fight trends and try other things but the only answer to the question in the end was to accept this movement and use it positively to continue moving forward. This gave meaning to the notion of zapping from one thing to the next and combining opposing elements to see what could happen. You can always see poetry, even in chaos. I believe it’s my duty, after all, to find softness and elegance in everything.“

LANVIN menswear spring summer 2018 Paris, June 2017

LANVIN menswear spring summer 2018 Paris, June 2017