Paris Haute Couture SS16
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Valentino
Along with Chanel and Valli, Valentino completely overshadowed other presenters of this season’s couture due to the utter beauty and delicacy, which can only be created by hands belonging to Master’s of the craft. You do not just see the clothes and say how pretty - you can sense the hundreds of hours work, the passion for perfection, the pride of creating a masterpiece. Each piece under the direction of creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli was a gift to the senses and it is without a doubt the green, floor length velvet brocade dress will be remembered throughout history and can easily be said it was the “MVP” of this season (if football expressions applied to fashion). I mean it had a train and boasted an opulent pattern of the velvet green brocade which had been cut out and reappliquéd to the sheer bodice. The energy of this heart pausing piece was shared between all of the other dresses - ravishing, antique, and so delicate that they almost seemed to be costumes for a marvelous historical biopic. The designing duo continues to create timeless dresses (which seem to stop time when you first see them) but still show the heritage of Valentino and the artisanal legacy from Roma. The Valentino Spring 2016 collection is a manifesto proving the relevance and importance for poetic handwritten couture in a very digital, tweeting world.
Armani Prive
There was one color on Mr Armani’s mind and that was Mauve! The collection was magical, romantic, off beat and an extension from the previous "Shocking!" RTW collection. The structure was light and dynamic, elegant simplicity with a mechanical crisp. It was clean, it was dainty and exactly suited the waviness of the Armani power women. It felt very modern with zipped jackets and a range of shorts and while interesting an fit for the modern women, I was missing the WOW effect. Some pieces were perfection for the upcoming award season, but unlike collections such as Valentino - Armani’s dresses didn't have that human fragility to them. Some adore that industrial perfection - and that is of course a matter of taste - but for me the beauty of couture is that the clothing is a craft and not a product.
Chanel
It was a triumph not only for the art of couture, but for a world desperate in creating a sustainable future. This season Chanel did not present a collection in the context of a theme such as The Casino Royal or Parisian Garden of many moons past. Instead we were welcomed into a mindset, a desperate call for action, and way of life necessary for a realistic future. Welcome to the sustainable world were Eco-Consciousness meets Couture - two concepts you don’t often hear in the same sentence. Exhibit A: wood chips stole the show - here used in every shape and form. They were used as paillets, exotic beading, wood tilings, and even as pencil shavings. Yes folks, pencil shavings which looked absolutely marvelous - delicate and raw. Recycled paper was yet again transformed as flamboyant 3-D frills, while other materials included wild cotton and organic woven yarns, where the former material gave life to the luscious wedding dress finale. The silhouette was traditional Coco, with a particular emphasis on the shoulder with puffed up sleeves and I liked how it was a classic and crisp look which balanced the anything but ordinary couture materials. My personal favorite touch from the collection, which went straight to my heart, were the bees. BUZZ BUZZ!
No this was not a ploy to copy the motif from Alessandro Michelle’s revival of the house of Gucci - bees are a highly endangered species and essential creatures for the survival of well… life as we know it. As bees pollinate around 70 of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world, if bees become extinct it will be impossible to feed the world population (Despite this fact, bee killing pesticides and chemical cocktails are sprayed like no tomorrow… there wont be a tomorrow for the next generation if this keeps up… that’s another topic…) Is it not great that instead of creating a collection simply for it’s beauty and artistic expression, Karl has triggered awareness and at times heated conversation on our planet’s fate?
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When the uber-privileged couture clientele try on the designs at Rue Cambon - the sizing and fit and beauty of the dress will be surely discussed over a glass of bubbly, but also the inspirations: the ongoing eco-crisis we’re staring point blank in the face. I look forward to see if other couturiers will follow in Chanel’s footsteps.
#Karlistheboss
Giambattista Valli
Oh my goodness! Absolutely mesmerizing and exactly what couture dreams are made of. The collection was simply magical and romantic and a display of pristine craftsmanship, which seemed to hypnotize the front row due to the excruciating detail and sheer opulence! Flowers were brilliantly incorporated throughout the collection through delicate appliqués and colorful embroidery. Sometimes in the form of paillettes sprinkled on an organza empire waist dress and sometimes in the detail of lace or as a rose bush motif on a cropped white coat. The romance of les fleurs matched the nostalgia of the robe à la française backs, Edwardian mutton sleeves and high collars. Moreover Valli’s take on the Empire silhouette would have made Napoleon's first Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais very proud! But then we had the grand finally of ball gowns boasting exaggerated volume and layers upon layers of tulle plissé sometimes tied with a silk bow. Each were dream like constellations but I must admit my favorite was the dress in bold, quenching, powerful shade of poppy. Sometime you are lost for words and in the case of the poppy dress - I am.
Dior
One of the most anticipated shows of this couture season was of course Dior, which still was missing it’s captain steering the wheel. In the meantime, the creative force behind this collection was an immensely talented team of millennials who worked together in creating a Dior submerged in today’s modern, street styled world. While it did refer to the traditional codes such as the synched waist, hourglass figures, and the “Bar” jacket -yesterday interpreted in many styles (my favorite in a minimal yet oversize Camel) the collection felt more RTW with a considerable lack of “knock out pieces”. Influences were clearly from contemporary styles including Marni, Celine, and J.W Andersen reflecting the refreshing youth culture of the team, but the storyline seemed at times sporadic and casual (Casual a word you don’t hear often at Couture Week). However, what the team accomplished is magnificent and should be applauded by the fact that they took risks, gave new life to their house’s heritage, and presented rebellious couture to the modern woman.
Atelier Versace
And so SS16 Couture week kicks off with Versace, who presented a collection, which was anything but conventional. (See collection Here) In a matter of fact, the first couple of looks dove straight into uncharted waters for the traditional couture. “Active Wear” is what popped into my mind when first seeing the White Bomber Pant suit, which seemed more appropriate for paragliding and mountaineering adventures than a couture runway.
Perhaps Donatella was inspired by the upcoming Olympics in Rio, as the athletic construct wove into all 43 outfits. Of course, no one can embrace feminine curves as well as Versace and they were extenuated in full force (VAVAVOOM!) along with asymmetric patchwork, thigh high slashes, deep (deeeeeeeeep) plunges, as well as plenty of spider web-like sheer.
It felt very modern, and very industrial - a mechanical evolution from last season’s collection. Last season, the couture dress was barely held together by flowers and dainty vines - very organic and all about the flower power- while this season, a similar dress (with more structure and more geometric) was held together using what looked like car bungee cords and construction ropes. The overall message? I interpreted as a feminist couture revolution. A substitution from sexy arm candy to "She who wears the pants". I think Versace is saying - don't dress for any man. Dress for yourself. Be strong! Be better! Be ambitious!
Nothing can TIE you down.
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