After a week of terror; the first week of January in Paris, the end of the month had a major refreshing effect with the world of Couture being back in the fashion capital. Designer Brands like Christian Dior, Chanel, Versace and Armani showed off timeless designs and silhouettes on the catwalk. So far, the spring-summer collections showd a fearless and proud France at Fashion Week’s Haute Couture shows. My best of the best in a few looks below.
CHRISTIAN DIOR
Raf Simons’ designs at the Dior couture show featured graphic layers of sequins, lace and mesh in a dreamy colour palette, paired with bright vinyl pumps with a David Bowie soundtrack in the background. The French brand’s spring-summer collection was a playful blend of psychedelic and futuristic, with a sense of ‘50, ‘60s and ‘70s styles. Simons said he was inspired by “the romance of a near past, when space-age and mind-expanding ideas of a future felt full of possibilities for society, pop culture and fashion.”
CHANEL
The catwalk at the Chanel couture show was set inside a giant terrarium, with a centerpiece of life-sized tropical flora made out of white and grey paper. The paper buds opened into exotic blooms of pink, red and yellow. Karl Lagerfeld’s 73-piece collection was showing bare waistlines, tweed suits, crystal flowers and mesh hats. “The new cleavage is the stomach,” Lagerfeld said of his spring-summer 2015 designs. The colour scheme was a mix of dusty, sugary pastels with pops of electric blue, yellow and orange. He added “Especially after this dark, horrid beginning of the year, there was something like this needed, I think,” Chanel’s creative director told Reuters, referring to the murderous January 7th attack on Charlie Hebdo, the satire magazine in Paris.
VERSACE
Donatella Versace’s new collection theme was refreshingly simple, not complicated, yet sexy. Long fitted dresses hugged curves, while transparent cutouts and high slits showed legs, shoulders and hips. The cuts were plunging and the colours were bold. The Italian designer described the spring-summer collection Sunday as being “about cut and the curves of a woman’s body. When we started the collection, I said I wanted no straight lines at all. Every seam is curved”. Totally Glamorous and a bit provocative!!
ARMANI PRIVE
Giorgio Armani’s 68-pieces collection for spring and summer featured Oriental prints in delicate structures. Elegant silhouettes draped in silk and beaded materials walked down a catwalk with bamboo columns on either side. The Armani models had sleek ponytails, feminine jackets and oversized accessories. Glittering nude fabrics, everything that makes you think of a virgin tropical jungle.
VALENTINO
Wildflowers in messy braided hair, vintage shirts, high collars and folkloric gowns Russian peasantry, but also Renaissance courts. Poetic and pure, inspired naïve embroideries blouses and featured smocking waistlines or bustier peasant tops, Russian folk dresses and gilets were a sublime expression of Valentino’s modernday elegance.
JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
The man responsible for a million sexy red carpet moments is at it again, this time taking the city of lights by storm. Of course, there are its codes: silhouettes two-in-one, tennis stripes, tuxedo, the key corset or the tip of denim. Of course, there is touch of humor (we love the bun cake on the bride) yet, regardless Jean Paul Gaultier has decided to treat us and it’s never boring. His vision of marriage, inevitably, is unique, joyful, theatrical, romantic, contemporary, going between mixed marriage and marriage for all. Feminine masculinity was the name of the game at JPG, bringing a cool but ohso-glamorous vibe that’s hard to resist, couture or not. One thing we’ve always adored about JPG is his insane inability to be predictable. A black-and-white tuxedo/halter dress was the split personality of garments, leaving us both perplexed and inspired.
