Spring 2017 Ready-to-Wear
"When I travel with my children, no matter which country we're in, my son Grande, who's now 12 years old, immediately engages in mad soccer games with local kids," said Stella Jean backstage before her show. "Soccer needs no translation because it's already a powerful common language; it breaks every racial and social barrier." The inclusive nature of the sport made her think about how fashion can also be a meaningful tool for blending different cultures. She's in a position to tap into the current métissage trend: Being of Haitian-Italian descent, it's in her blood.Stella Jean likes to give her collections a broader perspective, throwing bits of her social conscience into the game, which is quite refreshing. Layering references is also very much part of her approach, and soccer wasn't the only one on the table this season. She was fascinated by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who has managed to keep a unique and dignified sense of style even in the most dangerous circumstances. Burmese everyday wear was referenced in tablier-like wrap-around sarongs printed with landscapes worn over elongated, football-inspired t-shirts and shirtdresses that had a secondhand sale vibe. "When you go to food markets in Asia, that's the way women dress," said Jean. Her native Haiti was also put into play through printed motifs inspired by the work of artist Préfète Duffaut.The heap of such disparate references notwithstanding, the lineup had an airy vibe, as it was stripped of the over-styled and maximalist approach of previous seasons. It served Jean well to keep a light, modern hand.