In the wake of the terror attacks on Paris, it’s no doubt that Left Bank resident Pierre Mahéo had a sombre taste in his mouth. The Officine Générale designer self-exiled himself in April “to a little piece of heaven in Tuscany” to find inspiration. “I had a hard time putting myself in the summer mood. Go figure why,” he wrote in his show notes.
Drawing inspiration from the Tuscan sun for Officine Générale spring 2017 Paris men’s show, lightweight shirts adorned with palm trees matched with a cropped tailored pant could easily find their place on a beach promenade or any urban street. But this is no regular bright Hawaiian shirt: subtly printed in a charcoal grey the palette reflects Mahéo’s mood as he temporarily departs his beloved Paris.
Elsewhere, lightweight knits in red added a pop of colour, with blue and black sweaters also finding their rightful place in the collection. Perhaps the most interesting use of wool was in the outerwear pieces, made up in Loro Piana’s Storm System® fabric. This innovative wool blend water and wind repellent fabric was crafted into a tailored trench with protection against the elements.
