Another Haute Couture season comes to an end. Join Susan as she takes in two very different collections: Elie Saab, featuring some of the world’s most gorgeous girls in pastel-colored cocktail dresses and evening gowns that are almost too pretty; and Riccardo Tisci’s dark, Gothic vision for the house of Givenchy, shown at the magnificent Hôtel d’Evreux on the Place Vendôme.
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During last Fall’s Prêt-à-Porter, in Paris, I had the great pleasure of meeting Yiqing Yin. She staged a fabulous presentation on the top floor of Galeries Lafayette, and I was both overwhelmed by the collection, and moved by Yiqing herself. I found it incredible that such a soft-spoken young woman could pour so much heart and soul into her work. Her romantic, sometimes insane designs inspire me, and I was eager to see this season’s couture show.
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Join Susan as she takes in her first Basil Soda Haute Couture show, and see this Lebanese designer’s imaginative gowns–"mantles," he says, “inspired by the shadow of a woman.” Then change gears and watch Zuhair Murad go for broke with a collection he calls Casino Fever. His défilé is a leggy parade of Las Vegas-meets-Paris glitz, with all the details: feathers, beads and bling!
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Once again, creative director Giovanni Bedin chose the reception rooms of the gorgeous hôtel particulier France-Amériques as the perfect spot in which to unveil his latest Haute Couture collection for The House of Worth. Over the past few years, I’ve followed Giovanni’s evolving reinterpretation of the corset, which he took to an even higher level this season. He’s still designing ballerina-like masterpieces, but this time he added long gowns with amazing details. And while the strong, winged shoulders might be a bit too much for most women to wear, we all know the Haute Couture is all about concepts and imagination (backed up by Old World craftsmanship of rare precision).
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Join Susan as she attends the Haute Couture show of relative newcomer Iris van Herpen, an exciting young Dutch designer whose intricate, sculptural pieces bring to mind the work of Alexander McQueen. Then it’s a mad dash to the small défilé of Yiqing Yin, where Susan’s late arrival results in an interesting, behind-the-scenes perspective on the show, seen from backstage!
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Basil Soda is a Lebanese designer whose work I don’t know very well, so I was eager to see his Haute Couture collection this season in Paris. The short, three-day “week” made for a tight schedule, and required careful planning to see everything I wanted. (As it was, I almost missed this show.) It took some fast thinking, and good luck, to get there in time. And then the show began.
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The magnificent Hôtel d’Evreux, on the Place Vendôme (right next to the Hôtel Ritz, and surrounded by some of the world’s finest jewelry boutiques), is a perfect setting for Riccardo Tisci’s Haute Couture presentations for the house of Givenchy. It’s always a pleasure to visit this beautiful spot, where three rooms have been set up to display the full range of Tisci’s masterpieces. This sort of presentation is often the best way to view a collection: there’s no time limit, and the clothes can be seen to advantage. That’s important when the pieces are as extraordinary, and as severe, as Tisci’s gothic creations.
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Some of the clothes Julien Fournié sent down his Haute Couture runway were so scanty, you might be left wondering whether they were shirts or dresses. Susan and her team were there to record everything–and to ask Julien what the collection meant to him. “Sassy, sexy and swanky,” was his response. Check out his fun, slightly-crazy défilé and judge for yourself!
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Elie Saab is a designer who doesn’t rely on silly gimmicks. He’s also the sweetheart of many Hollywood celebrities, and with good reason–you really can’t go wrong with an ensemble by Elie Saab. This season’s Haute Couture collection was a parade of candied-almond confections–white, cream, rose, apricot, sky blue and mint green–all made of delicate fabrics with subtle hints of shimmer. Everything was very refined and very elegant. I preferred the slimmer gowns, but absolutely adored the short, bouffant cocktail dresses!
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Join Susan (along with two charming Hollywood stars, Cameron Diaz and Jessica Chastain), as they revel in the sleek, almost otherworldly designs of the Armani Privé Haute Couture collection. Then take a look at Giovanni Bedin’s work for The House of Worth: stunning, dream-like confections of padded silk, pleated organza, gold-thread embroidery and beautiful lace.
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