Sometimes I do not need to go too far back in time to find similarities in designer's ideas... and also, sometimes it is not the garments and styles in themselves that show the strongest resemblance but the concept behind a collection. This was the case while comparing Nicolas Ghesquière's Balenciaga FW 2009||10 [all lefts] to Riccardo Tisci's FW 2014||15 Givenchy collection [all rights]. Feminine chic is not a look we normally associate with his collections for Givenchy, which have previously favoured the darker side of gothic with brooding colour palettes and quasi-religious iconography. The ruffles and chiffons, pussy-bow blouses and delectable furs he showed, brought a new mood into play, full of French 'je ne sais quoi" and chic sex appeal with a mix of sharp tailoring and softer, sophisticated looks with retro-ladylike roots. When you read the Sarah Mower review on StyleDotCom you will find many resemblances to what Ghesquière was trying to do five years ago.
