The Unbearable Lightness of Fabric

My biggest, most unquenchable penchant in the entirety of all fashion concepts is sheer. Without a doubt, a material that allows the eye to see what is underneath excites my eye and compells my attention and imagination like nothing else, and if that material happens to be black as well, I'm in love.

Alexander McQueen, and one of my favourite sheer looks because of how transparent the sheer fabric is, despite being black. 

Calvin Klein Collection

 

Karl Lagerfeld's aquatic, whimsical inspiration translated into pieces as light as air for Chanel.

Costume National also provided a plentiness of sheer, some of it barely visible.

Erdem Moralioglu did a stand-up job.

I see myself forced to admit that Bill Gaytten didn't fail at John Galliano, as he used the lines within which John himself used to play: erotically transparent garments, daring cuts etc.

Alber Elbaz made us sigh (what else is new?) at Lanvin with  variously coloured dresses that were elaborate and simple at the same time.

Peter Dundas's collection for Emilio Pucci was a pretty big win, with dresses that were sexy bordering on smoking.

Ralph Lauren (my review here)

Valentino was all sorts of epic. The models had the air of noblewomen and the show seemed a clean, ideal escape into the Middle Ages. 

Playful, sexy Jason Wu.

The idea that something can be black and completely revealing at the same time the way sheer black fabric is mesmerizes me beyond belief. And this season, designers delivered beyond my wildest hopes. An infusion of unapologetically enthusiastic darkness flooded the runway, and it is finally accepted and acceptable that this darkness is sexy and natural.

 

Ann Demeulemeester, one of my favourite designers of all time, used the gradient technique as well.

 

Bill Gaytten returned to the roots in a risk-free show for Dior.

Rachel Comey made use of brilliant design, using wool-like prints on silk.

If they weren't dark, the sheer garments seemed to simply float around the models' bodies, not daring to constrain their beauty in any way, only to adorn them, to protect their delicacy without strangling them, to enjoy being permitted presence.

So you see, this lightness of fabric is only unbearable in that it is irresistible, and I can very well imagine not being able to resist those items if I were to come to touch them.

What did you think, darlings? Do you like sheer garments?