The Chloé SS20 show was a lesson in polished Parisian daywear

The ability of French fashion house Chloé to package up insouciant Parisian style and put it on sale for the whole world to buy has long been the key to its success.

Never has this rung more true than in the hands of native designer Natacha Ramsay-Levi, who grew up on the city’s Left Bank, and who offered up a masterclass in unstudied sophistication  at her latest catwalk show this morning. 

Ramsay-Levi called it: “An essential manifesto for the Chloé woman: a fundamental vision of femininity anchored in reality.” Accordingly, a polished approach to daywear was paramount with pieces designed to be transplanted straight from the catwalk onto the streets of Paris. 

Masculine silhouettes, spanning tomboy pinstripe tailoring and heavy leather, was married with soft shades of lavender grey and rose blush. Fluid scarf blouses cutaway at the décolleté, tennis stripe blazers and checked culotte skirts further added to the collection’s versatility and ease. 

These were not clothes designed to challenge or intimidate but rather they were intended to speak to the customer who is the heart of the brand. 

To this end, the show was a love letter to the Chloe woman with micro floral cotton smocked prairie dresses, bustier tops and ruffled ribbed knits among the mainstays. 

Before joining the house in 2017, Ramsay-Levi quietly honed her craft as longtime deputy of Louis Vuitton creative director Nicolas Ghesquière – who watched from the front row today. During her time at Chloé, the designer has not only succeeded in showcasing her talent for delivering a beautifully cut dress, but also her innate understanding of the demands of a modern woman’s wardrobe. 

It was a collection of expertly balanced contradictions. Pretty, but not too sweet. Cool, but never try-hard. Sexy, yet always empowering and seen through a female gaze. 

Styling also played a big part in conveying her vision. Shorts were layered, with striped silk peeping out from checked wool, while jersey sweatshirts were dressed underneath pleated georgette gowns and the sleeves of sharp blazers were pushed up to the elbow to reveal a delicate silk shirt.

Accessories also served to make a statement, whether it was with the simple details, such as crystal chokers worn over high-neck blouses, or an investment opportunity in the form of the new Darryl bucket hobo bag.