In times that feel a little drab and dreary, perhaps the best form of escapism is simply to close your eyes and think of the good times. Like the 70s, for example, an era filled with colour, sequins and unbridled optimism. Admittedly, no one under the age of 70 remembers the decade first hand, nor would it have been considered such an optimistic era had people possessed the clairvoyance to see the shitstorm that lay 50 years ahead… but hey, ignorance is bliss!
It’s this period of disco and glee that Julien Dossena, Creative Director of Paco Rabanne, turned to for SS20. The Rainbow Pop capsule best epitomises the rapturous joie de vivre at the collection’s heart. “My starting points were positive energy, happiness and dance,” says Julien, before explaining his desire to elicit the house codes of “pop culture, freedom, and people’s optimism from the 60s and 70s” in the clothes.
Whether a heart-emblazoned polka-dot satin dress or cropped rainbow-striped knit top, each and every piece conveys an unabashed sense of joy — “notions that are much needed now,” Julien notes. Paco Rabanne’s iconic metal mesh is also reimagined in iridescent hues on wrap skirts and tank dresses, while bags are given a similarly glitzy treatment, cast in shimmering pastilles.
For Rainbow Pop’s campaign, Ethan James Green has been enlisted, capturing Teddy Quinlivan in a series that conveys all the carefree fun we’re all craving right now. “I adore Teddy — her energy and flamboyant attitude,” says Julien, “we have collaborated for a long time now and she is a friend of the house.” While it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to bust moves like Teddy’s on dancefloors in the near future, let these images inspire you to get your glad rags on and party like it’s 1979 in your living room instead.
Credits
Photography Ethan James Green