Louis Vuitton spins candyfloss merry-go-round

PARIS, Oct 5, 2011 - Perched side-saddle on a old-fashioned merry-go-round, Louis Vuitton's belles for next spring came wrapped in broderie anglaise in soothing tones of cupcake or candyfloss, as Paris' nine-day fashion marathon drew to a close on Wednesday.

Louis Vuitton - SS 2012 / Photo: Pixel Formula

Marc Jacobs -- one of the world's most talked-about designers since he was tipped to succeed the disgraced John Galliano at Christian Dior -- was in the spotlight as he unveiled what may be his swansong at Vuitton in the courtyard of the Louvre Museum.

Broderie anglaise, a type of embroidery with little eyelets edged in buttonhole stitches, was the keystone of the look, with innocent-looking outsized flowers adorning buttoned-up collars, blouses, skirts and dresses.

Louis Vuitton - SS 2012 / Photo: Pixel Formula

Baby blues and pinks, soft yellows and greens defined the look, alongside a small handful of tone-on-tone greys, blacks or navies, where bright white underskirts peeped through the flower-shaped holes.

Backstage, the New York designer -- who conjured up saucy hotel chambermaids for his last Vuitton ready-to-wear collection -- said he went this time for a look that was "soft, soothing, gentle, light, tender, feminine, airy, loving."

"A frosted sugary, sponge sugar type of feeling -- like wrappers on a candy," he summed up.

The merry-go-round itself was "a metaphor for fashion," how it endlessly recycles and renews itself: "It's good that there is no end! It's such a joy, it never ends," quipped the designer.

Louis Vuitton - SS 2012 / Photo: Pixel Formula

Pretty, gentle-cut skirts, some overlaid with a tone-on-tone sheer veil, fell just the right side of prim, swelling gently out from the waist, skimming the curve of the hip before stopping at the knee or just below.

Matched with button-front white blouses, or short jackets nipped in at the waist, over pointed heels in black or white, the look was innocently feminine, with hair pulled back into chignons under thin tiaras.

Kate Moss at Louis Vuitton's show / Photo: Pixel Formula

Dresses were cut in a demure empire line, sleeveless or with short silk sleeves, while a final series in sequined ivory broderie anglaise was overstitched with ostrich feathers in fluttering blue, pink or yellow.

And for the fairytale finale, in a creamy ivory bubble dress cut high on the thigh, there was Kate Moss in a shimmer of fluffy white feathers, the icing on Vuitton's cake.