YOU would never guess it from the ever more crowded schedule of shows in Paris all this week, but French fashion is in a state of crisis at the moment.
The biggest problem facing the indigenous industry is that while Paris continues to attract more and more young designers, almost without exception they are non nationals.
Such is the shortage of homegrown designers that Dior, Chanel and Givenchy, three of the most prestigious French houses, are now headed by designers brought in from abroad. Both Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix, who are often bracketed together as the younger generation in French fashion, are now in their mid 40s and so far they do not appear to have spawned any successors.
A glimmer of hope for the future was suggested yesterday afternoon at the start of Sonia Rykiel's collection for next autumn/winter. The queen of French knitwear has been working for the past year with a group of 18 would be designers from the town of Chalons sur Saone and before the main show began she presented the fruits of this collaboration as well as the teenagers themselves.
If the clothes lacked some of the chutzpah of Rykiel's own show - she opened with model Stella Tennant coming down the ramp topless, save for a rather meagre fur boa - they displayed a remarkable degree of competence.
This season's favourite shades of plum and mauve were used for full length wool coats and knitted dresses, while there were also Prince of Wales check trouser suits and, for evenings, black satin sheaths with kick trains. The show of 40 pieces concluded with the traditional wedding dress, in layered vanilla chiffon with an exposed midriff.
The main show commenced alter the 18 young designers acknowledged their well deserved applause.
Despite many years of experience, fashion photographers never cease to be thrilled by the sight of even semi nudity, so they, at least, enjoyed Sonia Rykiel's offering. But for the rest of the audience, as yet another model attempted to conceal her breasts beneath a skimpy jacket or fur wrap, it was not easy recognising this as a collection for the chillier months of the year.
There were undoubtedly lots of sweaters and long fur trimmed coats, but there were just as many low slung pants and cobweb lace dresses. Obviously, Sonia Rykiel can teach young designers a lot about the mechanics of her business, but maybe she needs some advice on what will most appeal to potential customers. Otherwise, French fashion may find itself in a worse predicament than it is in at the moment.