In Paris, fashion is pop and playful at Anrealage, warm at Ester Manas

The second day of Fashion Week, dedicated to the women’s ready-to-wear collections for next winter, saw the return of two interesting names on the Parisian scene. Anrealage and Ester Manas, who are renewing their offer and their approach. Japanese designer Kunihiko Morinaga designed a playful collection in the form of a mathematical-textile puzzle, while the Belgian duo Ester Manas and Balthazar Delepierre are moving upmarket and expanding their universe.

On Tuesday, Anrealage offered an unexpected presentation to its guests, who crowded around the Alexandre III bridge. Instead of a catwalk show, Japanese designer Kunihiko Morinaga opted for a unique installation, displaying his garments under a bluish light in the midst of large balloons, pyramids, cubes and other icosidodecahedrons floating alongside them. The originality? All these geometric objects are made from the same fabric as the clothes worn by the models. A frenzied organ tune gives the whole thing a magical, futuristic funfair atmosphere.
 
With this collection, the designer has taken a delightful step back into childhood, inspired by his favourite manga, Doraemon, created by Fujiko F. Fujio in the early 1970s, with its cat-robot character who travels from the future thanks to a little propeller stuck on his head. This gadget was of course transformed into an essential accessory for the coming winter in the form of a propeller headband, joyfully distributed to the public.

Above all, Doraemon is an alibi for Kunihiko Morinaga to embark on another of his innovative textile explorations. For autumn-winter 2024/25, the designer intervened in depth on the shape of the garment to enable it, once folded, to transform itself into a perfect geometric volume by means of a game of zips and buttoning.

With Anrealage, clothing becomes a game, the designer seemed to be suggesting, having already tested the concept of geometric garments in spring/summer 2021 with garments capable of transforming into tents of all shapes and sizes.

The cotton jacket with white parasol stripes and a choice of blue, red or green, matched with short, wide trousers in the same tones, was constructed to form an octahedron or other polyhedron; the black down jacket became a cube; the gold leather jacket turned into a tetrahedron, the silver one into a large ball, as did the ruffled shirt with white and sky-blue checks.
 
The same goes for the fluorescent tracksuits that Anrealage designed for the sports brand Reebok as part of a soon-to-be-unveiled collaboration, some of the models of which were revealed in a preview on Tuesday.

Kunihiko Morinaga has always had a passion for research and innovation, particularly when it comes to dyeing techniques. For this collection, he teamed up with Japanese manufacturer Kyocera, which has developed a textile printing system that greatly reduces water consumption.
 

See catwalk

Ester Manas returned to the podium in fine form after taking a break last season “to think about the next steps”. In June, Manas won the Prix Spécial de l’Andam 2023, alongside LGN Gabriel Nouchi (winner of the Prix de l’Andam) and Arthur Avellano (winner of the Prix Pierre Bergé), both of whom attended the show. With an endowment of 100,000 euros and a mentorship with Chloé, the house, which has made inclusivity its hobby, seems to have taken flight with a clear move upmarket and diversification of its offer.
 
Designers Ester Manas and Balthazar Delepierre are still offering a few transparent pieces in gathered tulle, that made them such a success, designed in one size that can be adapted to be worn by everyone. But overall the looks were much more dressy than in the past. On the runway, frilly and ultra-sexy outfits diminished, revealing a more complete and extensive wardrobe.

In particular, sleeved and outerwear pieces were introduced, like little woollen jackets, a khaki trench fully open at the side or beautiful leather coats, zipped all the way up or in a three-colour patchwork of reptile-effect skins. Rounding out the collection were jackets with yellow lining or with texture from layers of ruffles.

Body-hugging day dresses in fluffy textures were slipped over matching long-sleeved jumpers, sometimes revealing the upper arms. Body-hugging stretch jersey ensembles, such as the twinset with its split skirt, or the zip-up knit with a pair of spindles, with grey cotton dresses, baggy shorts or tracksuit trousers.
 
In its statement of intent, the brand explains that it has restructured its offer around three lines: the hot line, with a lingerie focus on Ester Manas’ signature pieces; the cold line, comprising outerwear pieces, with plush-effect jackets and bombers, all in labelled leather; and the jersey line, with “essential” basics.