Introducing Olivier Theyskens’ debut collection for Theory

Introducing Olivier Theyskens’ debut collection for Theory:

Olivier Theyskens, the golden boy of Paris fashion, to make Theory the sensible go-to boutique brand for working women on the run. This is a designer, a sensitive, romantic Belgian designer for whom, it seemed, the world of haute fashion would always be home. It was Theyskens, who at just  21 hit the headlines for dressing Modonna in his then trademark gothic-glam, a black satin coat dress, fro the 1998 Academy Awards. He went on to cut quite a remarkable swathe through the rarefied world of top Parisian houses: first at Rochas where he firmly established a poetic signature of dark edgy Victorian and then at Nina Ricci where he further developed his urban elegance. 

It is a great collection one that managed to bring a smile to the frosty tribes of fashion editors when they saw it in the Paris showroom and got them feverishly chatting about how they couldn’t wait to wear it. “I’m very intuitive, very instinctive. I was looking at people my age, thinking ‘I should be able to do something on a much more affordable scale’”. – Theyskens

So he began looking at his friends, their lifestyles, what they wore, where they went, how they put themselves together and cue the results, a commercial dilution of all we love about Theyskens and the best  of the new season’s trends and yet anonymous enough to put your own stamp on. 

It was back in May last year he was invited to create Theyskens for Theory, six months later Andrew Rosen, Theory’s founder and CEO, asked him to become artistic director of the whole brand, men’s and women’s wear. I personal was completely inspired by his vision. There was a natural synchronicity bewtween his desire to create more accessible clothing and my belief that there is a huge opportunity for the designer perspective in a contemporary space. 

It’s great to see a designer of his calibre fully commit to such an accessible brand. And while collaborations are nothing new, this one is different; theory is his full-time job. A signal, perhaps, of the high street can never be a bad thing. As Theyskens puts it, “All these things I would love to wear if I was a cool girl”. 

Written & Reported by Neha Kubavat