Pierre Hardy Talks ‘Creative Experimentation’ With New Atelier Collection at Paris Fashion Week
Katie Abel
Executive Editor
It’s a season of change in the luxury world — and Paris Fashion Week veteran Pierre Hardy is ready to tackle new territory.
Today, the French designer launches his Atelier collection, a showcase of his most bold and creative designs.
Hardy’s vision is to offer something distinctly different with Atelier, what he thinks of as his runway collection. By contrast, the spring, summer, autumn and winter offerings will be introduced earlier each season and feature more core styles.
How does Atelier stand out? Read on.
FN: What do you want Atelier to represent, and why? How long have you been thinking about making this move?
Pierre Hardy: The Atelier collection is a new and very condensed collection — three chapters and 11 styles — with a creative experimentation. It’s a sort of laboratory of ideas. We have been thinking about putting this new structure in place for a year — it’s our creative and pragmatic response to the challenge that the fashion and retail calendar present to the brands today.
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FN: What is the inspiration behind the collection? What makes it a wow?
PH: Because this collection is very concentrated, very focused on creativity, it is difficult to make a choice. I tried to make them all strong and bold.
The main inspiration of the collection comes from the “Alchemia Studio,” an Italian design movement, who opposed a modernist aesthetic by injecting a playful and colorful spirit into the heart of the creation. The styles oscillate between graphic abstraction and colorful excesses. Sensual but subversive, these styles decline or divert the main feminine standards.
FN: Will “spring” and “summer” be shown earlier to buyers now? How do you think this will help them in their process?
PH: The spring and autumn collection — similar to a traditional “cruise” — will be shown in Tokyo, New York and Paris at end of May. At end of November/beginning of December [will be the showing] for the autumn collection.
The summer and winter collection — similar to a traditional pre-collection — will be shown at the end of January and in July in Paris and Tokyo.
Finally, the Atelier collections (winter and summer) will be presented during the Paris Fashion Week, in October and March.
The season consists of these three distinct collections, linked by a common creative thread. This allows the buyers to build a coherent offering for the season.
In the spring and fall collections, the buyers are presented with core collections styles, including new groups, followed by summer and winter which introduce new heel shapes and constructions. Finally, the Atelier collection is our vision of the runway.
Click through the gallery below to see more styles from the runway.
