Three years ago, when Anaïs Mak’s label was first reviewed here, she staged a presentation in a colorful middle school gymnasium. Her show today took place in the handsome upper library at the Lycée Henri IV, which is among the most prestigious secondary schools in Paris. If the Hong Kong–based designer was trying to tell us that her collection has matured since then, well, message received.
Backstage, Mak said that she had been studying bygone Parisian couture references, which she wanted to apply to her designs in a personal (read: unfussy, updated, youthful) way. To her usual lineup of sheer and flouncy dresses—this time covered in metallic micro polka dots and animal stripes—she added looks that ranged from cheeky power suits (the skirts were mighty short) to her spin on streetwear (dressy puffer vests and ample jeans). Double-breasted jackets gave a more grown-up vibe to lustrous, lace-trimmed longer skirts; slouchy cardigans brought a relatable, tactile feel to all the cosmic nightclub/slip dresses. In broadest terms, these items looked nicely finessed from previous seasons and retail friendly. But there were other ways in which she put her mark on this collection, namely the irregular hearts that appeared as hoop earrings, custom buttons, and appliqués—with the boob patches a reminder that Mak has never shied away from a touch of kink. Here’s hoping her Air Force 1s, tricked out with a ruffled golden plaque in lieu of laces, weren’t just concept kicks (for now, she describes them as an unofficial custom project with Nike).
The show ended with not one bridal gown but two. Holding hands and sharing a veil festooned with flowers, the models took their wedding strut to “L’amour Est un Oiseau Rebelle” from Carmen. “Love is a rebellious bird” seems like a pretty accurate description of Mak’s vision this season—ladylike yet liberated. And go figure, the opera the song comes from was based on a novella by Prosper Mérimée, who was a student at this very school—a factoid that the designer (or her music director) must have known. For all her research and effort, Mak is rather modest, and maybe that’s partly why her message doesn’t reach a wider audience. The clothes might not seem complicated, but there’s a bookish, subversive spirit embedded in all those frills.
