“Nighthawks” took flight when 032c made its Paris runway debut under the tall arches of a disused church on Rue Saint-Honoré with an almost reverent air. The palette was somber, mostly black, midnight blue, and a wine red; the elegant and stealthy silhouette.
Berlin-based creative director Maria Koch opened a workshop last year to work closely with her own pattern makers and seamstresses, and it showed. There were traces of the oversized looseness he has played with in past seasons, particularly in coats that fell not only at the shoulders but also at the waist, belted below the hip, but above all he has tightened the shapes.
It retained the nylon-coated bombers present in previous collections. This season they were a bulky antidote to slim-fit pants, with a rigidity and structure that took them away from sportswear territory.
Also gone were the overt brands of its branded merchandise; instead, he playfully subverted the logo mania by depicting the 032c backwards on a fuzzy knit cardigan, or his “Nighthawks” emblem, which resembles a '70s rock band patch, on a mini print on the back of a pair of pants.
The fitted, sequined column dresses were cut to the millimeter for the evening and certainly bucked the body-inclusive trend, but showed off her attention to detail. A bright skirt suit with structured shoulders was a strong counterpoint, and while the minidress trains were a fun touch, they missed the mark in terms of functionality.
All the glamor added to 032c's signature elements, but Koch showed a continued evolution from the brand's streetwear roots.
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