Paris Couture Staff Picks
Source: Vogue
While designers take risks and carefully prepare their collections year-round, couture proves a unique space to fully explore new concepts away from normal expectations. Of course, these garments are clothing and can be worn like everything else, but many exist as a form of carefully crafted pieces of art. This Spring-Summer season, designers were leaning heavily into space-age aesthetics with a distinct fantasy element. Escapism reads more like a daydream, and flowing garments sit in juxtaposed glory to their form-fitting counterparts. We also saw many references to both recent decades past - such as the ’60s, 70s, and 80s - while not shying away from further distanced historical silhouettes and concepts.
Our collection favorites below.
Jean Paul Gaultier
Glen Martens may just be finding his footing at Gaultier, but his collections are certainly well thought out. Wanting to put emphasis on the female form, Martens created garments that followed the curves of the wearer’s body. With sheer red and magenta stitched fabric draped around late victorian-esque boning, this dress edges towards perfectly tailored escapism.
Ashi Studio
Feminine whimsy becomes a series of statement pieces in this collection. This piece includes billowing drapes forming what would be a sharp shoulder and cape for a softer formal look. Similar to the flowers featured on the Studio’s runway, its sheer white fabric moves in delicate layers to contradict its expressive presence.
Fendi
After the dystopian-ish past few years of the pandemic, fantasy and whimsey are eagerly making their entrance back onto the runway. Kim Jones sought to ride that flight of fancy, while also pulling from design features of the Roman empire. This red gown features beaded brocade and silky trim to complete the strong, yet the still alien approach to history, while reminding us of popular sci-fi and fantasy series like Dune or Star Wars.
Ronald Van Der Kemp
This Van Der Kemp collection is marked by spiritual inspiration and mood swings. A dark flowing silhouette created by harsh lines, this black and white dress splits the line between everyone’s favorite LBD and a slinky silk gown. Large flowers made from manipulated fabric are tempered by the dual-toned shades and combined the create a sweet yet kooky garment.
Alexandre Vauthier
Vauthier is always a front runner in the fashion game, and this season is no different. This collection references decades past and yet is oh-so-modern with its fabrics and direction choices. This black-blue sweater dress stands out with its well-constructed concept and space-taking presence and is sure to keep anyone warm during wintery seasons.
Dior
Always a classic, Dior brings back flowing pleats in a charming continuation of high-quality craftsmanship. Maria Grazia is not concerned with “the moment” in this collection, instead preferring to showcase the complexities of clean garment construction. An easy classic, this collared cape dress is a sophisticated example of a well-thought-out design process.
Schiaparelli
Schiaparelli has always embraced the fantastic and avant-garde. With the brands’ trademark body displacement, they continue to grow other simple pieces - literally. This tailored and sophisticated dress is offset by the large-brimmed hat attached at the bust and gold brain-shaped cap piece. Not only that, but matching golden toes and face accessories balance the overlarge fantastical elements into an unsettlingly-chic piece.
Schiaparelli
This Schiaparelli dress plays into the same themes of fantasy. Finely applied Swarovski rhinestones cover the asymmetric shape, and feature vintage stones and pearls in a vague display of a smiling face across the torso.
Jean Paul Gaultier
This gown features billows of carefully constructed fabric swallowing the legs of the wearer in a cloudy green skirt. A tightly fitted and ruched bodice once again plays into those historic themes of a woman’s figure during the 19th century, while improving upon its practical nature with fantastical elements. Martens displays his vision of womanly curves by transforming what could have been a restrictive dress, into a frothing evening masterpiece.
Alexandre Vauthier
Are the 80s ever really gone? Vauthier defies all such claims with this silky leopard-print set. In combination with the timeless print, he highlights 60s-looking European tailoring for a modern, dramatized look.
Edited by Kieryn Alexander
