Clare Waight Keller’s Givenchy debut
Clare Waight Keller’s Givenchy debut was bound to be one picked apart by the masses. But the girl done good. Not only was it her first show for the Parisian powerhouse, but it was Givenchy’s first couture show in eight years, and their first show ever helmed by a woman.
Luckily for Waight Keller, rave reviews started rolling in before the curtains had even closed. The super-modern collection drew on classic Givenchy styling – think power suits and structured separates – while also somehow remaining totally wearable. Always ahead of the game, Waight Keller also introduced three made-to-measure looks for men.
Christian Dior’s feminist surrealism
Maria Grazia Chiuri’s called upon her feminist instincts once more for Dior’s couture show. She took inspiration for the show from the avant-garde artist Leonor Fini, and the way she used fashion and extravagant headdresses to create her unique identity. Chiuri also payed homage to modernist art. Floating above a black and white chequered catwalk, a nod to Man Ray’s famous chessboard, were disembodied facial features reminiscent of Dali’s surrealist landscapes.
Hemlines were predominately A-line and midi in length, evoking classic Dior, but the devil here was in the contemporary details. Legendary milliner Stephen Jones added the finishing touches with miniature birdcages that dangled from model’s ears, and dramatic veils swarming with glittering flies.
Ralph & Russo’s pastel-hued fairytale
Since moving to London in 2007, Aussies Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo have become one of the UK’s biggest fashion successes. Now based in Mayfair with a 400-strong team of highly skilled dressmakers, the duo last week transported crowds to a fairytale land in Paris.
They delivered floor-sweeping gowns and intricate coats in a host of blush-toned fabrics that ran the gambit from powder blue Chantilly lace to delicate mint organza. The coats, some fashioned from ostrich feathers, others exhibiting dramatic silhouettes from layers of sheer tulle, were equally as dreamlike and fanciful in aesthetics.
Galliano delivers genius for Margiela
We’re hardly surprised that Galliano’s latest show for Margiela has been hailed as ‘genius’ by the fashionably informed masses. His haute couture collection used transformative fabrics that changed in tone when viewed through a phone lens. As his collection walked, audience members were advised to turn their phone to flash – creating uniquely refracting kaleidoscopic images that appeared different for each viewer.
Beyond the graphic silhouettes and up-to-the-minute technology, Galliano used his show as a commentary on seeing the world through Instagram.
Written by Thea Carley
