Paris Fashion Week: Dévastée Spring/Summer 2009 Collection

The invitation to Dévastée's fall show came decorated with creepy little illustrations of ghosts, goblins and tombstones, and a poem on the front cover of the program included the line: "il arrive que les belles quittent la Maison des morts pour marcher sur le sable, à petits pas réglés." Loosely translated: It happens that the beautiful leave the House of the dead to walk on the sand, a little unresolved. Yikes! Isn't a little early for Halloween?

Needless to say, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the Dévastée show Saturday evening at Le Showcase, a popular nightclub under the Pont Alexandre III in Paris. But when the collection was finally unveiled, I understood the morbid references. I think the theme of the show can best be described as Night of the Living Dead meets the Gossip Girl season premiere in the Hamptons. Sound strange? It was. But somehow it worked.

Designers François Alary and Ophélie Kière are known for having a whimsical, if slightly macabre, approach to fashion, which was revealed through the quirky ensembles showcased on Saturday. The collection had a strict black, white and khaki color scheme, and featured lots of nautical stripes, logo prints and funky eyewear. The models were a mix of all-American types and funky Asians, all with pin-straight, center-parted ponytails. Some of the looks were a bit out of this world - one girl came out in her undies - but otherwise, the collection was very wearable.

So how can you crib the Dévastée look next spring and summer? Keep on doing your shopping at the Gap - but just load up on eyeliner for your next trip to the beach.