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That's Haute

It’s here.


Its title implies it consists of a week when it actually lasts over a month. The Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week kicks off the following month of Fall/Winter Collections, and I’m here to give you a recap.


Schiaparelli was the first fashion house to grace us with their presence, and they made a show of it (as per usual). Daniel Roseberry, creative director of Schiaparelli, put everything he had into this collection and it shows. The futuristic, western, and alien-like looks question the recent rise of AI and technology as a whole, like this dress made from flip phones and CDs (second left to right). 




The front row of the show, composed of Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, and JLo looked just as good as the models:


Side note: Congratulations to Mr. Roseberry for being the recipient of the 2024 Neiman Marcus Award for Creative Impact!









Next up, Chanel. The iconic fashion house hasn’t given us a good haute couture collection in, dare I say, years. I truly felt like the white tights with each look were unnecessary, but apparently, creative director Virginie Viard has an exposed legs phobia. While it achieved communicating the frivolity and femininity associated with ballet, what inspired the collection, this runway was far from my favorite. Some of the silhouettes confused me, and the tulle felt incorrect with some of the looks. With that in mind, here are the scarce looks I did enjoy:



Giambattista Valli was everything I hoped Chanel would be, channeling that same femininity and extravagance. The use of flowers and images of nature, along with the skillful use of draping and beautiful fabric selection created a true work of art. Also, if we’re to base our trend predictions on the model’s hair: coquette bows are here to stay. While I loved the entire collection, here are my absolute favorites: 



I have mixed feelings with Armani Privé. There are some looks I adored, but overall, it felt outdated. It may have been the fifty million jackets that cut off at the elbow or the sheer amount of chiffon used, but I believe the target audience for this collection is Baby Boomers and over. That being said, Armani Privé always makes solid red-carpet appearances, and here are some of the looks I think we’ll be seeing in premieres and award season alike: 






On we go, with the iconic event that was Simone Rocha for Jean Paul Gaultier. For those who don’t know, Simone Rocha is a world-renowned Irish designer known for her unique and experimental femininity. Meanwhile, Jean Paul Gaultier is an iconic Parisian designer with work that has pushed the boundaries of fashion since his 1976 debut. For the 2024 Paris Haute Couture Show, Rocha designed Gaultier’s collection while he sat in the crowd like any other spectator. 


I adored the collection and can’t think of a better collaboration, just like Gaultier in the 70s, Rocha’s work pushes the boundaries of fashion. She allowed her creativity to run wild and created a stunning, provocative, girly collection. From upturned breast pieces and satin corsets to a t-shirt made up entirely of bows, this show was the perfect merge of Rocha and Gaultier:


Valentino. It physically pains me to say this… but I hate it. Valentino is usually my favorite show during couture week, but to me, it was so… drab?! Their usually vibrant colors were all toned down, and maybe I’m just not a fan of grey, but it’s not doing it for me. And why is everything mixed with workplace attire? This is a gorgeous dress, why put a H&M cut blazer over it? Not for me.


Now for Alaïa. Creative director Pieter Mulier’s ready-to-wear collection was the best minimalism has to offer. His sculptural pieces were brought together by innovative techniques and silhouettes, and one more thing... the single material used to make the collection: merino wool. It was nothing short of genius. 



Another minimalist marvel, Fendi. In contrast to most of the previous shows, which all felt quite romantic, Fendi was graphic. The neutral color palette aided in the minimalism, while the silhouettes and textures made the looks stand out. The aesthetic follows the “quiet luxury” trend we’ve been seeing everywhere, and I can totally see Sofia Richie or Kendall Jenner wearing some pieces. Overall, I really enjoyed the collection, and felt it was a perfect example of “less is more”:




And finally, closing Paris Haute Couture, Maison Margiela (cue applause).


Margiela was unlike anything seen this week. It was anything but minimalist Fendi and Alaïa, miles away from Valentino's explosion of color, and poles apart from Schiaparelli. It was the machiavellian and eccentric older sister to Simone Rocha for Gaultier. Margiela brought back the theatre aspect of runway, with model Leon Dame and actress Gwendoline Christie opening and closing the show respectively with jaw-dropping performances. The sensational work of makeup artist Pat McGrath pulled every look together, using innovative techniques to make the models look like nothing short of a porcelain doll. Extreme corsetry and scandalous hips, in arms with the underground Parisian setting, transported us into the genius, and dare I say macabre, imagination of creative director, John Galliano. If any of the shows I mentioned deserves the title of "masterpiece", it's Margiela. This is couture.


Well, I'll shut up now... until next week anyway.


Love,

a judgemental enthusiast


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