Like some of his colleagues, Pierre Mahéo can’t get enough of Paris — its streets, people and nonchalant style. This season he chose to focus on gallery-filled neighborhoods, such as Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and look at the the people making, selling and marketing fine art and sculpture.
Mahéo was thinking specifically about the action on Quai Voltaire and Galerie Chenel, where he shot the look book, and about how the gallerists wear the clothes.
“This collection is real, and that’s just how we wanted it. There is nothing forced, no special runway pieces. What you see in these pictures is right here, hanging on the racks,” said the designer during a presentation at his showroom in the 6th arrondissement.
It was the essence of Officine: sophisticated, easygoing and sensual. There were lightweight, wide-leg jeans; olive green trousers that sat somewhere between jeans and chinos, and others with the waistband turned inside out.
There was tailoring everywhere, including navy lightweight wool jackets, sleeveless ones with rough armhole edges and olive green suits with just the right degree of slouch, and soft, drapey herringbone ones.
“You can’t lie with tailoring. It’s precision work — you’re playing with millimeters. For women, especially, you have to spend time getting the pants to fit just right. And you have to keep the fits consistent,” said Mahéo, who gets a buzz from giving real people that elusive, nonchalant elegance found on the streets of his beloved city.
