Haute couture: the meaning of extravagance<

Never has the haute couture collections, which paraded in Paris from January 21 to 24, have been so extravagant, abundant with ideas and energy.Enough to make light even the gray of January.

Le monde d’Iris van Herpen reste un ovni fabuleux dans la discipline. Chez elle, la science et l’art coopèrent pour inventer de nouvelles formes. Une cartographie du ciel du XVII^e siècle et les photographies de l’Américain Kim Keever (un ancien ingénieur de la NASA qui immortalise la « danse » de peintures de couleurs dans un aquarium) servent cette saison de point de départ à ses créations oniriques. La créatrice s’interroge ici sur l’évolution des formes idéales du corps féminin. L’organza plissé à la main et les feuilletés de soies découpées au laser transforment les mannequins en mutantes fantastiques. Des bijoux imprimés en 3D (une collaboration avec l’université de technologie de Delft) dessinent des sillons sur des visages marmoréens. Une installation lumineuse de l’artiste Nick Verstand transforme le décor de la salle en une voûte céleste, où les mannequins semblent se dématérialiser pour rejoindre une autre galaxie.

At Christian Dior, artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri planted a marquee in the gardens of the Rodin museum.Fashion and circus form an ideal duo in his eyes."Fashion Weeks move from city to city like circuses," she explains.A parade is another way to set up the tent for the show.For her parade, she is inspired by classics of the genre: paintings from Toulouse-Lautrec or Bernard Buffet, the curtains painted by Picasso for Parade (1917), commanded by the Russian Ballets de Serge de Diaghilev, the images of theArtist Cindy Sherman Grimée en Clown, Fellini's cinema…

The theme of the circus has already produced unforgettable fashion collections like that of Elsa Schiaparelli in 1938 in Paris, or that of John Galliano for Haute Couture Dior Automne-Hiver 2007. In the voluntarily literal version of Maria Grazia Chiuri, theLondon troop of mimber acrobats opens the ball.On the track, girls arrive in costumes from "Mr. Loyal" in Brandenburg, in a minirobic marquee rebroded with ribbons stripes.The long petticoats of Georgette Silk encrusted with Arlequin Lamés motifs cross combinations-shorts dressed in pastel crystals.Nostalgia prevails over flamboyance."A haute couture dress talks over the years, she carries in her the beauty of time passing," says Maria Grazia Chiuri.The pieces in the collection often have a “not finished” or “worn out” side that translates this feeling.»»

Labyrinth of boxwood and sowing Swarovski crystals on a mineral gray soil: the garden which serves as a decoration for Giambattista Valli is like the collection, half-fine half-veneer.In this maze are walking young girls in large evening outfits: minirobes with puffed volumes decorated with a knot or completely reborn with floral patterns, trains adorned with ostrich feathers as lit by a lunar light ... short skirtsBefore and infinitely long in the back are carried away in a dramatic gesture;Further on, a golden plumetis sows a rain of stars on a black tulle dress;Flemish portraits deploy their Gothic effects in large volumes of silk.To which strange ball go for its almost esoteric beauties?

Alors que la neige nimbe Paris de blanc, Karl Lagerfeld a reconstitué dans le Grand Palais une villa méditerranéenne : des murs ocre, un escalier majestueux, des bosquets et une piscine… C’est de goût français qu’il est question chez Chanel, d’un « luxe avant le luxe » symbolisé ici par les marchands-merciers du XVIII^e siècle – la période préférée du couturier. Cette corporation servait alors d’intermédiaire entre des artistes et artisans du monde entier et une haute aristocratie éprise de mode, si possible extraordinaire.

Tailors with extra-long jackets that stretch the silhouette, falsely corseted sizes, passes and skirts with graceful origami folds, dresses with abstract volumes reborn from flower flowerbeds that imitate the porcelain of Vincennes or dressed in hand-remedy lace: thesePompadour 2019 borrowed a little from the flamboyance of the 1980s to spice up a rococo romance full of finesse.The bride in a swimsuit, a piece reborn of silver crystals worn with a matching hat, displays an uninhibited but never pretentious eccentricity."Luxury, calm and serenity", summed up the day before the designer.A success almost overshadowed by the absence of Karl Lagerfeld at the end of the show, which relaunched rumors on his health.In a statement sent by the house, he simply declared himself tired and left care for his studio director, Virginie Viard, to come and greet at the end of the parade.

Long pleated skirts at Alexandre Vauthier?This is new to this French creator known for his rather undressing glamor.Heir to the Jean Paul Gaultier school and Thierry Mugler, two masters of clothing architecture, he takes advantage of his sense of cup.Its tailor pieces carried with blouses with large floating sleeves look as much as its minirobas with blown volumes, its steering wheel ruffles that exaggerate the shoulders.Less flesh, more chic and always as much sex appeal assumed: successful bet.

On the blond prosecution of the Evreux mansion, a black lacquer path guides the models of the private Armani show through a maze of salons.In 86 looks, the Italian creator gives his interpretation, in blue, red, white and black, of an art deco aesthetic nourished by borrowing from Asian art.Crocks of flat glitter, conical microchape or wigs of pearls: everything shines with a splendor of precious lacquer."Laclaque" is also the name of the next Armani perfume, expected for June.

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— John H, Mr H Fri Mar 12 23:59:04 +0000 2021

The 1930s architecture of the Museum of Modern Art welcomes the singular and fascinating collection of haute couture from Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.There is power and poetry in its creations: draped tuxedo or delicate guipure carried on latex, lacquered lace cape dress, hems where jewelry drops, tiale of pearls and silver embroidery that lights up aopenwork silk ... "Architecture is very important for sewing," says the designer.It is from this that I built everything else.»»

For workshop, the couture line of Maison Margiela, John Galliano looked at the theme of decadence.The madness of social networks generates over-stimulation, too full of images and the modern world is ready to implose.Galliano gives this chaos an original shape.Its deconstructed silhouettes always seem to be on the verge of collapse, patterns of saturated tags, colors, echo the "hysterical" decor of the walls.Boys and girls share the same clothing frenzy.The hybrids of force -style camisoles and pants combinations evoke an access of imminent madness.

The high ceilings and bluish tapestries of the Netherlands Embassy are doing well with Ronald Van Der Kemp's glamor.From recycled materials, the creator builds a cloakroom of divas who hesitate between the 1960s and 1980s. Silver pleated silk tailor, long turquoise dress with mohair sleeves or flower muslin… we imagine Elizabeth Taylor very wellPrepare cocktails for Richard Burton in the garden of a Villa Amalfitaine.

Jean Paul Gaultier has chosen to decline the sea theme.The iconic sailor of the house is worn with beautifully unstructured tailors while the floating cages dresses in tulle and organza transform the models into extraordinary aquatic creatures.They can turn into the mean Disney version, then a Japanese inspiration mixes with the case, not necessarily wisely.But at Gaultier, the joyful flamboyance makes certain "sins" forgive.

For Valentino, Pierpaolo Piccioli "wanted to rethink the iconography of classic haute couture with and for black women.For me, it's just a way to celebrate beauty. "The large Magnolia or peony printed mousselines are rebroded with tone -on -tone lace, a sculptural yellow bustier dress gold button of a maxinœud crosses a spectacular silhouette in red taffeta and feathers.It’s dramatic and lush.Black models (including Queen Naomi Campbell) dominate a cast where each girl is a singular beauty.For the final, they come together for a photo that takes up the famous shot of the couture models by Charles James taken by Cecil Beaton in 1948.

After sixteen years of absence, Balmain returns to the Haute Couture calendar.The evolution is natural for Olivier Rousteing whose ready-to-wear collections have always flirted with a flamboyant sewing spirit.In the new store on rue Saint-Honoré, this introduction is spectacular.Grunge spirit and pastel shades, tweed mixed with denim, tulle and chains, fetish pearls of the house transformed into embroidery-bubbles or a boule skirt sculpted in workshops of Parisian goldsmith: Olivier Rousteing composes a singular futuristic magic.For his first Couture collection, the creator relies on the archives of Mr. Balmain.In the future, he should let his own sense of extravagance express more.

Carine Bizet

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