Paris Fashion Week fall 2013: Damir Doma review

PARIS -- Croatian-born, Paris-based designer Damir Doma is really hitting his stride, as seen in his fall 2013 collection shown Wednesday at Paris Fashion Week.

The look: Quietly rebellious. A daytime wardrobe with a subtle punk edge. Pleated trousers with zip-back tunics or bomber jackets, all in houndstooth boucle or pinstripe jacquards, made for a sporty spin on the suit. Shift dresses with zippered details, ruched collars and raglan sleeves were immensely wearable. And a fur biker jacket was just fun. Metallic leather Chelsea boots or creeper shoes with lug soles added some quirkiness. The colors were dark--navy blue, plum and mineral green and black--which might have seemed a tad somber were it not for the fact that the models were parading past a crowd dressed almost entirely in black. In other words, Doma is a pragmatist.

The inspiration: “Neo-corporate silhouettes superimposed with hybrid fabrications, spare utility and cool independence,” according to the show notes.

The scene: Lush. The show was held in a beautiful 1897 building constructed by Parisian architect Paul Ernest Sanson of the Beaux Arts School.

The verdict: Doma is carving out a real niche for himself with wearable, everyday clothes that are anything but ordinary. It’s no coincidence that Giorgio Armani is one of his influences. Let’s hope more U.S. retailers start buying into it.

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