Le Moine Tricote opens Paris fashion week

PARIS (AP) — Fall-winter 2013-14 sees bright-eyed designer Alice Lemoine brimming with ideas.

First of all, in the unique presentation of her Le Moine Tricote collection via three different mediums in three different rooms: there were edgy photos, vintage-looking video projections, and the clothes themselves on mannequins.

If the designer's aim was to get home the idea that in fashion it's not what is worn, but how it's worn, that affects style, it was a success: Each of the 15 ensembles had a completely different look depending on the room.

Second of all, there were new ideas in the direction of the up-and-comer's knitwear line itself, which saw the repertoire this fall-winter 2013-14 spun out to include stricter woven fabrics. They provided a subtle but welcome contrast to the more feminine thick-knit tailored jackets in black, beige and gray.

"The idea was to complete the collection. Woven and knit is mixed," said Lemoine, walking in between mannequins. "I'm mentally double. The back side is woven, strict, the front side knit."

The strongest piece in the show was a fantastic black mid-length coat dress that had pockets, a lapel and sleeves in billowing wool to imitate fur.

Sporty flashes, like a streak of burgundy on a heavy knitted black dress, ticked the hip box.

But the collection overall remained thoroughly feminine, thanks to the natural roundness of the thick-knit silhouettes.

This season, ladylike is the name of the game.

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Thomas Adamson can be followed at http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP