Paris Fashion Week adds Rokh and Cyclas to runway calendar

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Feb 1, 2019

Paris Fashion Week has added two new fledgling houses, Rokh and Cyclas, to the official calendar of its next women’s ready-to-wear runway season, which debuts at the end of this month.
 

The two new houses bring to 78 the total runway shows listed on the official calendar, which was released Friday morning by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, French fashion’s governing body.
 
Rokh, designed by LVMH Prize finalist and former Celine alumni, Korean-born Rok Hwang, is noted for its graphic minimalism. Rokh will stage the opening show of the season at 5.30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25. The nine-days season runs until Tuesday, March 5, climaxing that evening with Louis Vuitton at 6 p.m.

Cyclas is the brainchild of buyer-turned-designer Keiko Onose, who concentrates on pared-back luxury. She staged her first official presentation in Paris in March 2018, and her show, scheduled for March 5, will mark her French catwalk debut.
 
In a related move, the Fédération also announced that 14 houses had been chosen to be listed on the official presentation calendar of Paris Fashion Week, the world’s preeminent fashion season. Listed by name, country of origin and year of foundation, they are as follows: Faith Connexion (France, 2002); Gauchère (France, 2013); Karim Adduchi (Netherland, 2015); Kimhekim (Korea, 2014); Kristina Fidelskaya (United Arab Emirates, 2014); Kwaidan Editions (GB, 2016); Mame Kurogouchi (Japan, 2010); Moohong (Korea, 2013); Unravel Project (Italy, 2015); Walk of Shame (Russia, 2011); Cukovy (Hungary, 2014); Maison Mai (China, 2016); Magda Butrym (Poland, 2014) and Savoar Fer (France, 2016).
 
The Paris season will include the usual stellar global Paris-based houses such as Dior, Saint Laurent, Chloé, Celine, Hermès, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Chanel. Plus a plethora of star foreign designer brands like Alexander McQueen, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, Miu Miu, Dries Van Noten and Thom Browne.
 
In no real of surprise, given the increasingly rapid turnover in creative directors at major houses, three houses, Lanvin, Lacoste and Nina Ricci, will feature debuts by new designers. Chez Lanvin, Bruno Sialelli, who previously worked at Loewe, Balenciaga and Paco Rabanne, opens the action on the morning of Feb. 27. Lanvin, controlled by the Chinese investment group Fosun, officially appointed Sialelli last month.
 
While Lacoste’s new pick is British-born Louise Trotter, who has had a stellar career encompassing posts as designer of Joseph in London; head of womenswear at Calvin Klein and designing for Tommy Hilfiger. Trotter makes her Paris debut on Sunday, March 5, in the penultimate show of the season.
 
Finally, at Nina Ricci, the house has taken the most radical step. The esteemed brand hired Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh – the joint winners of the Festival d’Hyères in 2018 and finalists in the most recent LVMH Prize - as creative directors. They caused a sensation at Hyères with their show inspired by African fisherman, so expect a major shake-up at this Avenue Montaigne brand.