Renaissance OF COUTURE
The couture week in Paris stands for the royal discipline of fashion. L’officiel-austria publisher and CEO Svitlana Lavrynovych was part of the elite audience and describes a season that made (fashion) history.
To attend a digital defilé is contemporary, to be allowed to attend a Haute Couture show on site is an honour. After the restrictions due to the pandemic, selected guests were allowed to participate physically again. This season, an unsurpassable balancing act crystallised in many places: between tradition and the excellence of their know-how and modern visions. The heritage of the Maisons is the source of inspiration.
Colour festival of the senses
Georges Hobeika brought minimalist extravagance and the romance of the sixties to life in his 2021/2022 autumnwinter Couture collection. The Maison‘s emblematic signature is an imposing composition of exquisite feathers, sparkling crystals, and refined embroidery. Organza lends the creations this carefree lightness and awakens desire. Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad also knows how to do this. His creations are picturesque, his inspiration is the eternal city of the lagoon - Venice. His Renaissance collection is a feast for the eye, with creations in sumptuous velvet, shiny duchesse, organza, and chiffon.
Promising premieres
A high level of expectation was in the air at Balenciaga. The luxury brand founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga returned to its origins couture - after an absence of over half a century. Creative director Demna Gvasalia hosted the return at the house‘s historic location at 10 Avenue George V in front of only about 100 select guests. Mysterious silence reigned from the start, the defilé took place without any background music. Perfectly shaped and embroidered tweed bouclé cocktail dresses that evoked associations with curved chess pieces fascinated the female clientele. The proportions were balanced to perfection, the curved shapes and metallic surfaces are a tribute to Balenciaga‘s unique DNA. France‘s avant-la-lettre visionary Jean Paul Gaultier was responsible for another important couture debut. After his unexpected retirement, the French iconic label decided to invite an independent designer to create a couture collection every season. Designer Chitose Abe of Sacai kicked things off, showing at Gaultier‘s headquarters in the 3rd arrondissement. And there they were, the sailor shirts, deconstructions, wild aviator jackets, and Parisian trench coats. Gaultier‘s masterpieces were reinterpreted and enhanced with Sacai‘s signature assemblage techniques.
Les trois grands
Giorgio Armani is 86 years old and undisputedly the most influential Italian designer of the past 50 years. Nomen est omen: he focused his fine tailoring on exciting, shimmering effects and appropriately titled his work “Shine”. The creations, a true symphony consisting of transparent layers of tulle, chiffon, and glittering sequins. His fellow countrywoman Maria Grazia Chiuri created a total of 75 grandiose looks for her Dior couture show. The picturesque decor by artist Eva Jospin adorned the walls with a gigantic and abstractimpressionistic installation called “Chambre de Soie”. A masterful canvas backdrop for Chiuri. She loves connections based on the Orient and Occident. Particularly innovative was her subtle colour matching of several day wear looks, including nuances of grey mottled tweed, knits, and cashmere, which were seen in various flirtatious bar jackets, cabana jackets, and cape combinations. Incomparable masterpieces can also be found in the “Musée Galliera”, the largest fashion museum in the world. Not a randomly chosen location for the presentation of the latest couture show from the house of Chanel, but a tribute to its owner Duchess Galliera. Creative director Virginie Viard knows how to usher the traditional house into a new, modern era with sophistication and grace. Elegantly embroidered tweed suits, noble paisley tops in metallic colours, and enchanting high-collar frock coats in pink jacquard created a buzz among the select audience. The crowning glory was the magnificent wedding dress: a simple silk creation with voluminous shoulders, accompanied by a pale pink veil and a small top hat. And there it is again: that touch of magic that you only get to experience twice a year and only in Paris ...