French Fresh: Carven

Looks from Carven Resort 2012, via Style.com

Looks from Carven Spring Summer 2011, via Style.com

I don't blog about women's fashion very much. I feel the blogosphere is littered enough with fashion opinions from the relevant to the insipid. But the revitalization of venerable Parisian brand Carven at the hands of former Givenchy and Paula Ka designer Guillaume Henry has transformed a nearly fossilized French label into one of the freshest new stars of the fashion firmament, and it's hard to ignore.

My memories of Carven involved it being a noteworthy Parisian label with an illustrious history but apparently no caché even by the late 70s; I had a bottle of Vetiver Carven cologne, and I wondered what the brand was as I had never heard of it before... or for that matter, since. Well, until now.

Looks from Carven Fall Winter 2011, via Style.com and L'Eclaireur

I found myself noticing dresses, headless and photographed for ecommerce, on my Svpply feeds, and thinking, ooh, this is clever. Old school draping given (literally) a new twist, asymmetrical dresses that were simultaneously prim and wanton all at once, full skirts with high waistlines that looked vintage but felt oh-so-now... I took note. But when it happened several times in a row and I found out they were all by Carven, I had to investigate.

This once dusty old brand has been freshened up for right now with fun, creative silhouettes, clever and often subversively quirky design motifs, and details that hark back to classic Parisian ladies' wear. But what Guillaume Henry does is take the stuffiness out of traditionally fussy, fashion flourishes - think full skirts, draping, bows and ruffles - and modernizes them into more approachable looks, often making typical dramatic evening fare into daytime must-haves. Outsized bows adorn flats instead of heels, for example, while tee-shirts pair with flouncy taffeta pouf skirts, and vintage-style draped frocks are re-imagined with the occassional fetishy breast appliqué, but downplayed with high necklines and casually undone hair and makeup. It's an interpretation of Casual Chic that feels very considered, but nevertheless carefree... and distinctly French.

Think of a chic Parisian woman in her twenties raiding her mom's couture closet, retooling the vintage pieces with her own wardrobe basics, just to have espressos on a Saturday afternoon. It's a balance that generations of fashionphiles strive to achieve, and Carven does it effortlessly for right now, conjuring up images that hark back to fussier times yet never looking anything but modern as a result. Even the price points are more accessible.

Looks from Carven Spring Summer 2011, via Style.com

Check them out on their website, or for full collections on Style.com. And if you're ready to buy, L'Eclaireur and Opening Ceremony have good buys.

If I were a woman, I'd definitely be wearing Carven.