Rochas - Spring/Summer 2011

Clearly, Rochas seems to be having some difficulty in finding an artistic director capable of conceiving a collection that is both creative and marketable. As the successor to Olivier Theyskens, Marco Zanini has in fact created a very personal collection, a veritable melting pot of everything he likes... but at the risk of leaving his clientele a bit perplexed.

Son of a Swedish mother, Zanini has chosen this season to underline the Scandinavian part of his heritage. He studied the works of the Swedish artist Slotts Barbro, going so far as to visit Barbro's village in order to better soak in his universe.

The result is a collection full of references to this Nordic culture, from traditional floral prints to masculine high socks (here transformed into transparent knee-highs), to the headscarves knotted in the models' hair.

Then there were the opulent underskirts that, although they clearly belonged to the local folklore, were dangerously similar to those by Vuitton - a resemblance that cost them a bit of their impact.

In addition, far from trying to render his cherished loose volumes more sensual, Zanini took pleasure in accentuating their "granny" look by pairing them with ultra flat sandals.

We had trouble finding the "refined femininity pleasing to men" that Zanini spoke of several seasons ago in the first part of the collection.

This being said, when the daywear pieces moved over for ensembles intended for the steps of the (Cannes) festivals, the Scandinavian references disappeared, making room for a much more conventional style.

In licorice and cobalt pearly silks, the ultra long designs played with undressing, coming close to the masculine pajama before retreating to and lingering on the idea of the jumpsuit. The result was silks that did not hang well and far-too-literal pajama interpretations.

Faced with the mixed results of this collection, we can only hope that the freedom of spirit that Zanini showed in the first part of this show will, over time, develop into a more aesthetic energy than just pure audacity.

Click here to view the entire collection: http://www.style.com/S2011RTW-ROCHAS