We hope designer Haider Ackermann has checked into a spa/is sipping champagne/or at the very least sitting back proud of his spring 2010 reviews somewhere. If not, he should be as Ackermann has confirmed his position as the new Parisian powerhouse this fashion week, winning critical acclaim from those hard-to-please fashion critics.

Haider Ackermann spring/summer 2010

“Mr. Ackermann doesn’t have superfluous ideas about female sensuality. The show-closing black jersey columns — one a halter-neck jumpsuit, another leaving a milky arm and shoulder bare — were like baiting a crowded, noisy room with a whisper,” said Cathy Horyn, fashion critic New York Times of Ackermann’s spring 2010 collection.

Daryl Hannah as a mermaid in 80’s hit Splash has never left most ladies thoughts – and courtesy of Ackermann we now have the opportunity to live our mermaid fantasies – albeit chic ones. With muse Tilda Swinton, the world watched agog as she caused a stir in a ruby red Haider Ackerman dress on the Cannes red carpet back in May and left the inevitable question – who created the mermaid?

Actress Tilda Swinton on the Cannes red carpet in Haider Ackermann

It’s a collaboration that looks set to continue and if his recent catwalk show was anything to go by – she’ll have plenty of red-carpet choice. Tweeting live from the show, the NY Times blog, The Moment described Ackermann’s new collection as,“North African wanderers with slinky military influence at Haider Ackermann's lovely show. Lauren of Arabia!”

A ‘young Rick Owens’, the ‘next Margiela’ (although this has been denied by Margiela majority stakeholder and Diesel owner Renzo Rosso in a statement yesterday) – we only hope that Ackermann’s soft draping, sensuality, layering, deconstruction and silk daywear will ensure the comparisons stop here.

Kerry Olsen

Sources: NY Times, The Moment, Grazia Daily UK

Photo Credit: Getty Images