I grew up with a dad who is fifteen minutes early to everything which means my single act of adolescent rebellion was being half an hour late to everything - something that's generally ok in this industry.
But I'd never been to one of Marc's shows and I was not going to be one of those distraught people stuck outside three minutes after start time because the new Marc is both fit and punctual. I gave myself one hour to go pick up my ticket, walk back to the Louvre and take my seat for the 2:30 show.
At 2:33 half the venue - a tent set up in one of the Louvre's giant courtyards giving tour groups a major surprise - was still empty. There was an open seat behind me, in front of me, across from me and next to Carine. But sure enough, a re-mixed version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" switched on at 2:37 and the first model stormed out in a black lace number layered over a pink and blue skirt with killer shoes. Meanwhile, a couple of models in, Suzy Menkes tumbled across the runway into an open aisle seat.
The collection was like everything good in life rolled into one - if half of me wants to wear Giles everyday, the other half wants to wear this. Marc threw lace into everything, used bright lingerie over sheer neutrals, tucked metallic mini-skirts under camel pea-coats and ruched leather into retro skirt suits. There were bunny ears and giant pearl hat pins stuck into fluffy buns. The girls wore platforms and thigh-high lace-up boots. Raquel Zimmerman had on amazing blue capris with ruffles at the bottom, Catherine McNeil a Working Girl red coat and Vlada rocked the perfect shade of green.
It's clothes - and shows - like this that make people fall in love with fashion - it was the perfect fantasy. And with that, it's back to Brooklyn.
