A.F. Vandevorst’s Spring/Summer 2000 collection made quite an impression. The designers chose an unconventional presentation format, staging it in an old Parisian bathhouse called Piscine Oberkampf. The intimate space could only accommodate 50 people at a time. It marked their first official season on the calendar, and their press officer, Sylvie Grumbach, was taken aback when they announced multiple runs of the show, one immediately following the other. Despite the chaos and initial resistance from model agencies, the presentation unfolded in different time frames, with press attending at one time and buyers at another. The models, initially hesitant due to the unexpected workload, eventually embraced the opportunity. They realized they could be more than just models; they could become actresses within the show’s immersive story. One memorable moment involved a girl who walked into the swimming pool, still wearing her full look down to the shoes—a beautiful and unexpected twist in the mise en scène.
