Scene and Heard: Highlights From Paris Haute Couture Week
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Photo Credit: Christine Alexandra Chiu
Beverly Hills–based tastemaker Christine Alexandra Chiu recently unpacked her bags from Paris for Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2014-2015, and gives C some of the highlights.
“Paris Haute Couture this season was undeniably younger, more valiant, and challenged my couture boundaries,” says Chiu. “The Autumn Winter 2014-2015 collections pushed the limits of space, time, place, and redefined couture through technique, perspective, and aesthetic achievement.”
Chiu’s Backstage Notes from The Runway
Didit Hediprasetyo’s sweet throwback to schoolgirl chic was triumphantly followed by Versace Atelier‘s seductive ultra glam escapade in leather and metallic splendor. Schiaparelli spared no fabric, feather or fur in dressing models to a vintage spectacle, and Raf’s Dior transported all into alternating decades of couture classicism, modernity, and futurism.
Giambattista Valli, in his clever and particular manner, walked us right into his landscape painting in which both the caretaker and her garden were beautifully personified through striped silk crepes, sequined patterns, and signature floral appliqués. Alexis Mabille showed restrained femininity through purposeful lace and layers. Undoubtedly, Karl is still King. Chanel Haute Couture was youthful, lavish, architectural, and unprecedentedly wearable. Satin-bowed sandals and embellished shoulder bags with matching adorned dresses were the highlight of my entire couture week. Chanel Haute Couture was nothing short of breathtaking. Stephane Rolland broke the rhythm of the runway by presenting his daringly sensual collection as a film, L’echappee, starring Nieves Alvarez, a woman whose strength, sensuality, and discipline represents the Stephane Rolland modern female. Ulyana Sergeenko continued the celebration of bold femininity with her politically-infused collection, set against the backdrop of Revolutionary Russia. Stars like Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, and Jared Leto showed up to take a peek inside Armani Prive‘s darling D’une boîte laquee (black lacquered box), in which we found 71 sparkly, whimsical, polka-dotted couture looks in black, white, and red. Inspired by the City of Lights, and framed with opulent crystal chandeliers, Elie Saab’s gowns were kaleidoscopic reflections of blue glaciers, antiqued roses, and deep crimson tides, adorned with gleaming iridescent pearls and glistening jewels. I traveled from Elie Saab‘s incandescent, illuminated dream into a dark, seductive candlelit date with the She-Devil in Gaultier. With looks appropriately named Morticcia, Blair Witch, Twlight, and La Dragonne, tulle, velvet, corsets have never looked this evil. Or rather, evil has never looked this good.
Apolline classicism, Olympian simplicity and Dionysian nods melded perfectly together in Valentino‘s reinterpretation of an ethereal and pure couture. While Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli mastered the juxtaposition of lightness and lavishness in their sensuous collection, Viktor & Rolf unabashedly experimented with our contemporary obsession with the red carpet. Using various tying, knotting, and wrapping techniques on red carpet material, they created 22 looks with surprising sophistication and intrigue.
As rain trickled down and the crowd dispersed, Zuhair Murad loyalists remained mesmerized by his landmark collection of glam futurism and glamour incarnate. Through bold cuts, asymmetrical draping, geometric lacing, Zuhair entered in a new dimension of the new contemporary couture. While paving different paths, each designer this season ultimately paid homage to the past, borrowed from the future, and collectively redefined our new contemporary couture.
Pictured: Christine Chiu fitting at Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Atelier, Paris.
Photo courtesy of Christine Chiu
