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Dior paid tribute to sport on the eve of the Paris Olympics on the grounds of the Musée Rodin on Monday, the first day of Paris Couture Week. The show featured luxurious, lightweight silk fabrics – georgette, taffeta, tulle and sporty jersey – draped beautifully over the body, letting the pieces speak for themselves. (Read this also | Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny heat up Paris in matching styles for date night; couple noted. Photos,
Here are some highlights from the autumn-winter 2024 collection:
Athletes old and new
The walls were adorned with vibrant, colorful artwork of sports players and athletes by artist Faith Ringgold, who died in April. Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri used the fall clothing as a platform “to pay proper tribute to all athletes from ancient times to the present day.”
Greek-style draping on the runway was reminiscent of the original Olympics. The nod to antiquity echoed the Italian designer’s fondness for historical influences.
Jersey fabric, an unconventional clothing material, was handled poetically. It spread out in loose, fluttering sections down the models’ bodies, with a twin leather belt to define the waist.
Mosaic embroidery on skin-tight tank tops added a contemporary twist, shaping the bust. Pearl-adorned sandals wore crisscross straps up to the feet.
The best looks were the simplest. An ecru lightweight wool gown looked like a single piece of fabric, hanging whimsically and loosely from the shoulders. It featured an unexpected cowl back. This simplicity with an element of surprise is typical of Chiuri, who has said she often finds elegance in restraint.
Venus Williams was surprised and applauded from the front row.
Schiaparelli’s Phoenix Rises
Couture Week kicked off with a bang at the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild. Kylie Jenner looked stunning in a veiled and pink ribbed hourglass Schiaparelli bustier, creating a media buzz. Doja Cat appeared in a coat with a raised shoulder, while “Emily in Paris” star Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu took the star-studded front row. Guests were accommodated in an intimate black box-like setting, adorned with nostalgic chandeliers.
On the runway, designer Daniel Roseberry unveiled autumn silhouettes inspired by the famous phoenix. The theme of the bird and rebirth was inspired by Schiaparelli’s tribute to the ballerina Anna Pavlova, whose symbol was a coque feather stole she once wore. The garment was crafted in dramatic style.
The show opened with a stunning Phoenix gown featuring 3D chrome trompe l’oeil feathers on a black dress, paired with silver eggshell earrings. It set the tone for a collection defined by technical prowess.
Phoenix motifs appeared throughout the show. Gowns of washed silk and wool crepe bustier dresses featured phoenix-wing shoulders and plunging necklines. Models, with their heads wrapped in sheer crepe, made a striking presence by looking directly at the audience.
Standout pieces included a bustier dress of moving circles, which created a mesmerizing effect, and a cocoon-shaped jumpsuit made of fake horse hair and sequins that mimicked zebra skin. These designs were accompanied by a haunting soundtrack featuring Nina Simone’s “Plain Gold Ring.”
Roseberry’s exploration of Schiaparelli’s relationship with women – which emphasized their power to reinvent themselves – was clear. “The context of this collection, which honors Elsa’s singular gift for reincarnation, is second only to its form,” he said.
Reflecting on the bond between fashion and wearers, Roseberry said: “People don’t buy Schiaparelli; they collect it.” This sentiment was echoed throughout the collection, which presented garments that were not mere fashion statements, but pieces of history and art that should be treasured.
Van Herpen breaks the mould
Iris van Herpen presents her garments as sculptures, which the house calls a “profound shift” in the Dutch designer’s trajectory.
“I’ve been working for a long time on expanding people’s perception of how fashion and art can be symbiotic,” said van Herpen, comparing her techniques in couture, such as draping clothes directly on a mannequin, to sculpture.
He said, “Even though we call one practice ‘haute couture’ and another ‘art,’ for me it’s one universe.”
Van Herpen unveiled his collection amid his new large-scale, monumental pieces in a “hybrid” show. They were crafted with innovative techniques on tulle surfaces and suspended via steel tubes.
While preparing his retrospective at the recently closed Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, van Herpen realized his long-standing ambition to delve into sculpture and painting. His new works, developed over a year, reflect his reconnection with nature and the freedom of slow movement. His move to a quiet residence outside Amsterdam furthered this idea.
“Small changes that happen every day inspire me a lot,” he said.
Autumn garments also followed a similar theme. Gravity-defying, slow-moving silhouettes and ethereal draping embraced the couturier’s signature three-dimensional printing and silk folding. The Umwelt and Aromorphosis gowns featured a gradient of pearls that mimicked cyclopean sculptures, while the transparent Ataraxy dresses, sculpted with heat guns, captured the feeling of floating away. They had a Renaissance feel.
Honoring Japanese craftsmanship, the Sensorium costume was crafted from obi cloth, evoking a sense of spirituality and peace.
Foam, flowers and confusion in the Giambattista Valley
Foam, flowers and more than meets the eye – that is the hallmark of Giambattista Valli, the master of couture illusion. Known for his stunning off-kilter silhouettes, the Italian designer once again presented one of the most anticipated shows of the Paris couture calendar.
His collections often blend Italian exuberance and Parisian playful carelessness, creating a distinctive yet harmonious blend.
A pink silk gown that might have seemed classical was given a contemporary makeover, with unexpected sections pulled apart in an avant-garde twist. Further enhancing the visual spectacle, the model’s face was painted blue, exuding an ethereal, otherworldly Eastern aura reminiscent of Vallee’s fondness for blending classicism with modernity.
Her mastery of creating weightless volume and intricate draping was evident everywhere. The lilac-coloured bridesmaid dress featured her signature florals, with petals falling randomly from the tulle, mimicking the natural fall of a dying flower – a poetic nod to the fleeting beauty of nature.
Another veiled bridesmaid dress featured acid gold frothing beams around the bust, a statement piece that combined Valley’s love for volume and fashion-forward color clashes.
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