PARIS — Dior paid tribute to sport on the eve of the Paris Olympic Games on the grounds of the Rodin Museum on Monday, the first day of Paris Haute Couture Week.
The show let the sumptuous, light silks (georgette, taffeta, tulle and sport jersey) speak for themselves, elegantly draped over the body.
Below are some highlights from the fall-winter 2024 collections:
The walls were covered with hypnotic artwork in bold colors of sportsmen and women by artist Faith Ringgold, who died in April. Designer Maria Grazia Chiuri used fall couture as a backdrop “to pay fitting tribute to all athletes…from ancient times to the present day.”
On the runway, Greek-style draping evoked the original Olympic Games. The nod to antiquity echoed the Italian designer’s penchant for historical influences.
Jersey fabric, an unconventional couture material, was treated poetically. It cascaded down the model’s body in loose, billowing segments, with a double leather belt to define the waist.
Patchwork embroidery on fitted tank tops added a contemporary touch, appearing to sculpt the bust. The pearl-embellished sandals featured criss-cross straps down the leg.
The most beautiful looks were the simplest. A light ecru wool dress looked like a single swish of fabric, hanging capriciously and loosely from the shoulders. She had an unexpected hood. This simplicity with an element of surprise is quintessential for Chiuri, who has said that she often finds elegance in restraint.
Venus Williams marveled and applauded from the front row.
Haute Couture Week began with a bang at the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild. Kylie Jenner, veiled and eye-catching in a pink ribbed hourglass bodice from Schiaparelli, sparked a media frenzy. Doja Cat appeared in a coat with plunging shoulders, while “Emily in Paris” star Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu joined the star-studded front row. Guests were enveloped in an intimate black box-like setting adorned with nostalgic chandeliers.
On the runway, designer Daniel Roseberry presented autumnal silhouettes inspired by the legendary phoenix. The theme of the bird and rebirth was inspired by Schiaparelli’s tribute to the dancer Anna Pavlova, symbolized by a coq feather stole he once wore. The sewing was executed in theatrical style.
The show opened with a stunning phoenix dress with 3D chrome trompe l’oeil feather wings over a black ensemble, paired with silver eggshell earrings. This set the tone for a collection defined by technical skill.
Phoenix motifs appeared everywhere. Washed silk dresses and wool crepe bustier dresses featured phoenix-wing shoulders and plunging necklines. The models, their heads wrapped in sheer crepe, interacted with the audience with direct eye contact, creating a commanding presence.
Standout pieces included a bodice dress of moving circles, which creates a mesmerizing effect, and a cocoon-shaped jumpsuit made of faux horsehair and sequins that imitate zebra skin. These designs were accompanied by a haunting soundtrack featuring “Plain Gold Ring” by Nina Simone.
Roseberry’s exploration of Schiaparelli’s relationship with women, emphasizing his power to reinvent himself, was clear. “The context of this collection, which honors Elsa’s singular gift for rebirth, is surpassed only by her form,” she said.
Reflecting on the link between fashion and wearers, Roseberry commented: “People don’t buy Schiaparelli; They pick it up.” This sentiment resonated throughout the collection, offering garments that were not simply fashion statements, but pieces of history and art meant to be treasured.
Iris van Herpen presented her haute couture as sculptures in what the house called a “profound change” in the Dutch designer’s career.
“I have long been working to broaden people’s perception of how fashion and art can be symbiotic,” van Herpen said. He compared his couture techniques, such as directly covering the mannequin, to sculpture.
“Although we call one practice ‘haute couture’ and the other ‘art,’ for me it is a universe,” he said.
Van Herpen presented his collection amidst his new large-scale monumental pieces in a “hybrid” exhibition. They were made with innovative techniques on tulle surfaces and suspended using steel tubes.
While preparing his retrospective at the recently closed Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, van Herpen realized his long-standing ambition to delve deeper into sculpture and painting. His new works, developed over the course of a year, reconnect with nature and the freedom to slow down. His move to a quiet residence on the outskirts of Amsterdam encouraged this idea.
“The small transformations that happen every day inspire me so much,” he said.
Fall couture fit with similar themes. Slow, gravity-defying silhouettes and ethereal draping embraced the couturier’s signature three-dimensional printing and silk folding. The Umwelt and Aeromorphosis dresses featured a pearl gradient that mimicked cyclonic sculptures, while the sheer Ataraxy dress, sculpted with a heat gun, captured the sensation of floating. They had a Renaissance feel.
Honoring Japanese craftsmanship, the Sensorium dress was made from obi fabric, evoking a sense of spirituality and peace.
Foam, flowers and more than meets the eye: that is the signature of Giambattista Valli, the master of haute couture illusions. Known for his sumptuous, extravagant silhouettes, the Italian designer once again offered one of the most anticipated shows on the Paris haute couture calendar.
Her collections often fuse Italian exuberance with flirtatious Parisian indifference, creating a distinctive yet harmonious blend.
A pink silk dress that could have seemed classic was given a contemporary twist, with unexpected segments lifted in an avant-garde twist. To heighten the visual spectacle, the model’s face was painted blue, evoking an ethereal, otherworldly oriental aura reminiscent of Valli’s penchant for combining classicism with modernity.
His mastery of creating weightless volumes and intricate draping was evident throughout. A lilac wedding dress featured her signature floral motifs, with petals falling randomly onto the tulle, imitating the natural shedding of a dying flower: a poetic nod to the fleeting beauty of nature.
Another veiled bridal look featured a sparkling streak of acid gold around the bust, a statement piece that combined Valli’s love of volume and edgy color clashes.
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