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paris
couture week
From Paris with love |
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exhausted the European market down to a mere 300 clients who can afford
couture, designers at Paris Couture Week turned towards the Middle
East and Asia for a new lease on life. The shift was apparent in collection
themes that were generously flavoured with Japanese gardens and Indian
Maharajas, as well as front row guests - there were more Arab princesses
than ever witnessed before. Yet the creative geniuses did keep a keen
eye on Hollywood as well, as this was the best time to shop for the
Oscars red carpet. |
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Christian
Lacroix
Titled Scent Of A Woman, Christian Lacroix's spring/summer couture
collection conjured the brilliant shades of a French country garden
in high summer. Vibrant rose, violet, peony and marigold shades were
in plentiful supply - often in the same outfit. Taking as a motif
the carnation, his favourite flower, this modest bloom was worked
through the whole collection, appearing as an oversized corsage on
the lapel of a narrow jacket, as a fastening at the waist of a cocktail
dress, or as a shoulder decoration on an asymmetric gown. |
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Jean-Paul
Gaultier
From designing conical bustiers for Madonna, French designer Jean-Paul
Gaultier turned to the Madonna and the baby Jesus for his spring/summer
collection, "I was looking for a piece of paradise," Gaultier
explained his philosophy to front-row guest Victoria Beckham after
the show. The collection, inspired by Gaultier's childhood memories
of his religious upbringing in a suburb of Paris, featured models'
heads wreathed in halos and ecclesiastical imagery. |
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Armani
Prive
Armani Prive capped the couture week with a Swarovski studded collection
that oozed glamour. The Italian couturier's spring/ summer collection
took his guests on an Indian journey – inspired by the opulence
and majesty of the maharajas. Keeping to his palette of hallmark
beiges, greys and silver, he used precious stones and silk to create
richly crafted pieces accessorised with turbans. He was also appreciated
for being the first designer to allow to broadcast his haute couture
collection live on the internet. "Now through the democracy
of the internet, we can provide a front-row seat for everyone,"
the 72-year-old Italian said in a statement. It was a way of making
couture more accessible to the masses. |
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Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld is responsible for taking mini skirts to dangerously
short proportions and this year he dispensed them altogether for jackets
paired with leggings and skin tight, thigh high boots. Though the
Chanel label is 97 years old, Lagerfeld has managed to keep it extremely
young by designing couture aimed at the youth. No wonder that Editor
Vogue, Anna Wintour brought her college going daughter to the show.
Not entirely haute couture in the true sense of the ornate world,
this was a smart shift of style as an attempt by Lagerfeld to save
the world of couture. He was confident that couture would not die,
as predicted. |
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John Galliano
With Puccini's 'Madama Butterfly' soaring on the soundtrack and origami
inspired gowns taking to the ramp, Christian Dior turned very Japanese
this season. The decadent gowns were John Galliano's interpretation
of the exquisite Geisha culture and the show itself was a theatrical
production, as expected from the madcap designer John Galliano. It
began with delicate cherry blossoms and ended with a blizzard of confetti
butterflies. Japan is, after all, a hugely important important market.
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Valentino
Far from the madding crowd of colour that defined most of Paris Couture
Week, Valentino's collection stood apart for its almost entirely white,
ecru and cream elegance. Beautifully cut in the slimmest silhouette,
embellished with hints of canary, soft pink and lilac, the collection
had both credibility and great charm. |
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Elie Saab
Lebanese designer Elie Saab opened the Paris Couture Week, an honour
that made a strong political statement as well as bait for the Middle
Eastern prosperous market. "No one would believe a fashion collection
could be made in such a situation," Saab said in Paris before
his show. "We are right in the heart of it. My showroom and offices
are just 20 meters away. There are tanks, troops, hundreds of people
chanting. Last week, the roads were closed, making it almost impossible
for me and my staff to get to work." He added: "I started
my business in 1982 when Israel invaded Lebanon, so I have always
known war and strife. I do my part with beautiful clothes." His
collection termed Goddess of Love was inspired partly by the designer's
belief in the dawn of peace for his country and featured gowns in
shimmering pearl tones of rose, lilac, beige and silver. He used a
lot of metallic lace, hand-beaded with sequins to resemble dewdrops
and hourglass silhouettes of lace show under veils of tulle.
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