7 Haute Couture shows that I loved

Every year, all the eyes are on Haute Couture Fashion Week. Maybe because the couture is always… something different. Maybe because the items are not, instantly,in every wardrobe in the world. The collections were, as usual, spectacular. My favourite?

Givenchy, Fendi, Zuhair Murad

Alexandre Vauthier, Valentino, Maison Margiela, Viktor&Rolf

1. Fendi. For the incredible tour on Fontana di Trevi, Rome. Maybe one of the most majestic catwalks imagined (Karl Lagerfeld rocked, as always), and some critics compared it with the Fendi show on Great Wall in 2007. It was not easy to secure these historic, beautiful venue: but Fendi was the brand that supported the restoration of Fontana di Trevi in the last year. Karl Lagerfeld found his starting point in a 1914 book of fairy tales, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, illustrated by the Danish artist Kay Nielsen. Several of his illustrations directly inspired individual pieces. “It was in a way the mood of my childhood, the Northern fairy tales,” Lagerfeld explained of why he chose the book. I just loved the long dress on Kendall Jenner. – www.fendi.com

2. Givenchy. I must admit that I have a crush on Mr. Riccardo Tisci work, therefore I couldn’t miss this collection. Crisscross bodices and strapless styles predominated, the gowns are long and with a million details. I fell in love with the black dress stitched with hundreds of micro sequins or tiny grommets. But I liked also the delicate bows on the white dresses. – www.givenchy.com

Givenchy

3. Zuhair Murad. These are the clothes that everybody wants to have. For Couture Fall collection, Zuhair Murad chose “Bohemian Rapsody” as the main theme: velvet capes, macramé embroideries, thigh-high boots. The collection was a symphony of fabrics and colours: from black Chantilly lace to velvet, crepe, tulle, chiffon in cyan, purple, deep plum shades and burgundy, all mixed with black organza. – www.zuhairmurad.com

Zuhair Murad

4. Valentino. It is probably the last collection put in scene by the magic duo Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri for the Italian brand. And it was awesome! On the occasion of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, the Valentino haute couture Fall 2016 collection was Elizabethan themed: princesses, priests, members of the court. I just adored the all high white ruffs, puffed sleeves and clerical robes. And the black coat, oh… – www.valentino.com 

Valentino

5. Viktor & Rolf. How to transform leftover fabrics into haute couture pieces? After paintings on the wall and moving sculptures, the duo behind the brand used all the leftovers from their previous collections. All the sequins, all the scraps from other shows: they all were used for Viktor & Rolf Fall couture collection, weaving their own fashion history into rag-rug embellishments on vintage trench coats, military jackets, sweatshirts and denim. Their “Vagabonds” are dressed with layers of fabric, boosted with swirling tulle volumes and embellished with heaps of hardware and buttons. “You look at the past in a neutral way. Everything becomes equal in this new texture”, they say. – www.viktor-rolf.com

Vicktor & Rolf

6. Maison Margiela. In the magic hands of John Galliano, the haute couture collection of Maison Margiela mixes some referrences of French revolution with pieces of technical urban streetwear. In Galliano’s unique style, the clothes are worn upside down and back to front; swags of fabric are wrapped, draped, and twisted to create new volumes. – www.maisonmargiela.com

Maison Margiela

7. Alexandre Vauthier. A squad of models, dressed in camouflage clothes (but embedded with crystals), with flight suit (in python) and military sweater (in cashmere) or a parka worn as a wrap dress. All of them sexier than a military service will allow. – www.alexandrevauthier.com

Alexandre Vauthier

Photography: Facebook pages of the brands

READ ALSO:

Inside CHANEL Atelier: the Fall-Winter 2016/17 Haute Couture collection