Chloe : Clever But Not So Cool

Saturday’s most eagerly awaited show was the presentation of Chloe’s spring summer 2008 collection, the second for the Paris label created by Swedish designer Paulo Melim Andersson...

Chloe has always had a special following in Paris, and its shows always attract a neat crowd of cool Parisian gals with a sense of flirty romanticism.

Things opened well with some great mid-length dresses in shards of fabrics in a pale blues and icy grays that presaged some great washed-out looks. The cut was lithe and flattering, the finish perfect; cardigans were knee length and cool, prints were abstract and arty.

However, Andersson’s latest effort was a patchy affair, which opened and ended well, but felt far too repetitive and in its choice of color palette, in the middle section of the show, a tad muddy for the current mood and the construction a tad contrived.

Following his hugely acknowledged predecessor Phoebe Philo was never going to easy. And no one should expect Andersson to ape her style. But the switch from his previous job at Marni, where the materials are high/tech, fur and treated fabrics, to Chloe with its emphasis on cotton, chiffon and mousseline ahs not been effortless.

In a word, even though Andersson apparently has plenty of talent he still seems on a learning curve and one that may not end overnight.