Lounge
The best of Paris haute couture week
Summary
Couturiers bring fantasy, history, pain and love to the ramp, while celebrating house codes
It's been a season of celebrating house codes, returning to the archives and looking inwards while seeking answers.
At the recently concluded Paris haute couture week, 110-year-old luxury house Chanel returned to the historic Grand Palais, with models presenting creations on a runway designed like two interlocking Cs, a symbol of the house that also represents infinity. The collection paid a tribute to Gabrielle Chanel, who was also an incredible colourist. Nimble and agile creations, embodying ease and movement in a palette of white, pastels, bright tones, midnight blue and black, mimicked the cycle of day to night. There was also a focus on pyjama style ensembles in dawn-hued silk crêpe, a sunshine yellow tweed suit, a lilac tweed dress with box pleats, a suit in white and black tweed painted and embroidered.
Designer Rahul Mishra's showcase emanated from the fear that “in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves." Two of his key looks recalled Hitchcock's thriller The Birds (1963) visuals, with a circle of birds engulfing the models sporting the creation. Easily one of the most moody and broody collections by the designer, who recently lost his father.
Gaurav Gupta's collection, Across the Flame, too, narrated a tale of love, resilience, and transcendence. Inspired by the harrowing experience of a near-fatal accident that engulfed Gupta and his life partner Navkirat Sodhi, his collection was a journey to healing, seen through the lens of their shared cosmic odyssey.
Here are some key trends that emerged at the recently concluded Paris couture week:
Virtuoso construction techniques
Chanel celebrated its signature design insignias, like tweeds, patch pockets, braids, two-toned shoes and feathers. The rock crystal, metal and rhinestones buttons metamorphosed into moons, suns and camellia flowers. Lunar and solar stars featured on black velvet belts that recalled the importance of black in the founder's vast body of work.
Embroidered, flounced and pleated, the lightweight ensembles expressed the technical sophistication of couture.
Also read: Milan fashion week: Designers make formalwear more casual
In Gupta's collection, new embroideries, such as raffia and micro pearls, alongside the ghungroo, were explored using innovative techniques to add depth and texture. Over 20,000 crystals from Preciosa were extrapolated, renowned for their exceptional quality and brilliance, which elevated the embellishments on key pieces throughout the collection. This season, he also introduced new colours like ochre and twilight purple, space blue, symbolising transformation, alongside the brand’s signature shades of black, ivory and metallics. Among its standout creations was the Twin Flame ensemble, envisioned in the season’s vibrant hue of ochre.
Archival redux
At Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri was inspired by the Trapèze line, the young Yves Saint Laurent's first collection for Dior, presented on 30 January 1958. The pieces “evoked dresses beneath which the body disappears," state the show notes.
Also read: Your guide to cracking the business casual dress code
At Valentino, Alessandro Michele's voluminous, tiered and exaggerated gowns, embodying multiple historical references and archival touch points, made the collection thrilling. A sweeping dark taffeta gown with a black velvet bodice, which took 860 hours of handwork, was one of the outstanding looks.
Exaggerated capes, veils and sleeves
Since the Karl Lagerfeld era, Chanel couture has always closed the showcase with a bridal ensemble. This season, the bride was ready to say 'I do' in a gem-encrusted crop jacket and soft tulle handkerchief skirt. An organza-flower-adorned headpiece with a floor scraping veil and cherry-red lips added to a chic finish.
Michele's couture was also brimming with pannier skirts, ruff collars, vintage florals and exaggerated sleeves, all served with intricate embroideries.
Giambattista Valli, Viktor & Rolf and Zuhair Murad showcases also offered an array of statement-making capes and trains lending drama to ensembles.
Manish Mishra is a Delhi-based writer and content creator.
