Haute Bouillabaisse...Haute couture Fall 2013

Within this minute and very specific area of fashion lies many who might be overlooked or some who might not really have a clear concept of what haute couture really means or exactly what makes it emblematic of being the epitome of fashion design and manufacture.  Today is about a mixture of all different calibers of design … so maybe it should be the Couture Stew or Haute Bouillabaisse!

Viktor and Rolfe certainly know what it means or takes to produce in the ways of the Haute Couture as they practice so much of it within their regular ready to wear collections.  Twice a year they usually take the mechanics of the couture and bring it to dizzying heights but such was not the case this season.  For fall 2013 apparently, they opted to pay homage to Rei K and Yohji Y and yet still impart their flawless workmanship but in the most discreet of ways.  One looks to them for the fantasy that is always part and parcel of the Haute Couture, so this season’s decidedly Zen like mode is something of a shock.

Elie Saab is a pro when it comes to showing off his talents especially during the week of Haute Couture.  He is all about beaded and embroidered and unapologetically so.  So, the collection comes as nothing short of business as usual at the House of Saab.  Don’t misread this as unattractive or not exciting, it is just that this is what he does and he does it with few competitors or deviation.  The clothes are decadently opulent, luxe, riche and well designed for the ladies of Saab!

Vionnet … depending on how you look at it, this collection might rank right up there with the desecration of the YSL name.  As far as can be seen, there was absolutely not one good reason to make a fuss over 12 ill-conceived garments that bear no DNA or resemblance of the namesake designer.  To add insult to injury, the garments are poorly executed ala Project Runway which holds no fascination in the world of Haute Couture!  One more reimagining gone awry!

Alexandre Vaulthier is a fixture of the Haute Couture and yet he is not the run of the mill designer who adheres to classically designed clothes.  The collections are edgy, modern and possibly over the top to some viewers.  One must assume that the customer is there or else why go through the expense of it.  In my estimation this season the collection “out Balmains Balmain” and that might be saying something!  The clothes are dangerously sexy and sit on the border of trashy but no matter; these clothes are the result of a well thought out collection that has limited appeal, even within the already limited world of Haute Couture!

 
Giambattista Valli delivers collection after collection that speaks to his ladies… of any age.  The clothes are wildly feminine as well as frilly, flowery and girly … not one of those said in a pejorative way.  The clothes speak in the vocabulary of the brand and no one can argue that.  He clearly reveres and utilizes the petit mains that make the Haute Couture a land of endless possibility for any designer who is fluent in that dialect of fashion speak!  It is clear that Mr. Valli is a linguist…if you catch my drift

Yulia Yanina Haute Couture fall 2013

Apparently, when designing a collection, the first thing that must be established is a theme that will carry throughout the collection.  To me, the theme must not be present in every single piece but just present enough to encapsulate one large seasonal presentation.

My impressions of Yulia Yanina are these starting with the “leaf” motif or theme has been carried out to such an extent that it became overwhelming.  It seemed that 99% of the pieces incorporated this design element which is a bit overkill, and yes this zealous adherence to the theme showed remarkable design abilities and yet it hindered the overall effect of the collection.

As has been previously stated by me in the past, the use of the ethnic headgear also can be taken as a bit too Russian for most. The cloche like hat combined with the very  unflattering below the knee length gave the collection a sort of 40’s look, and once again as in most cases, the length is not flattering.

 

Ms. Yanina used the tulle/soufflé embellishments last season in her ready to wear with great skill and this season, while still used in  many evening pieces, the look  was decidedly naked and not in the best of taste.  Knowing that these clothes do not come cheaply, one has to wonder why spend all that money to look that cheap?

 

As in any Haute Couture shows, the viewer/critic are always focused on the art and craft that inhabits the world of this particular corner of fashion.  While most of the pieces appeared to have been impeccably constructed there were a few that appeared to woefully in need of help.  My question is very simply this... why show them if they do not live up to the standards that you have set for the collection or why don’t you have them redone until they are 100%?

 

 

In the end I believe that there should have been some fabulous pieces that did not directly and so rigidly make use of the leaf motif and certainly some of the blatantly sexy/shocking evening pieces could have been eliminated.  Every collection requires an editor and certainly Ms. Yanina would have benefitted from one this season

Zuhair Murad.. fall 2013 Haute Couture ...

To say that the Fall Haute couture collection is flashy is like saying Bill Gates has a few bucks!  Moving on from that point, Mr. Murad’s clothes are not for he shy and retiring types but for those who demand attention … some in a good way and well … some, not!

The clothes demand a body that is close to perfect, but then again, being Haute couture, these clothes can be made to fit any body type, the question is “How will they look?”  At any rate, these clothes are red carpet worthy, stage ready and starring role ready!  There is little wonder that for years now he has been creating a stage wardrobe for J Lo

The interesting thing about Mr. Murad’s work is that within the flash of it all, there are beautiful dresses and suits of great delicacy as well as pieces that might find their way into almost any lady’s wardrobe, provided she has the means and she MUST like beads!  The simpler pieces, and I said SIMPLER, not SIMPLE, are quite feminine and far more discreet than many of the gowns and certainly more than the cat suits which J Lo seems to prefer.

Apparently, there was a secret memo passed around when designers were preparing their collections and that was to ponder the theme of coral branches which appeared in both couture and resort collections.  Mr. Murad seems to have taken it a step further to include tree branches and turned it into a major sub theme for  beading and embroidery and just about any way you can imagine;  Again, some, more successfully than others in their particular renderings.

What was most distracting from he overall presentation were the pieces that were supposed to look futuristic but came off as being very 80s rather than very 21^st century.  There was no need to broaden the scope of the collection with style like that.  Then,  we need to discuss the shoulder pads… aye or nay?

The take away here , is that these clothes are not for the faint of heart and reside more on the side of “look at me” than they do on the side of discreet luxury.  Between him and Mr. Saab, they can keep the beaders of the world busy for decades to come!  Raf will be sending a note scolding them about their old world ways……… meh!  This is what makes haute couture such an adventure!

IN MY HUMBLE OPINION Haute Couture fall 2013

Apparently the endless supply Kool Aid that has been consumed from New York to Paris and then back again never continues to find the fashionably thirsty … once down the hatch, you join the fawning few who are, by vocation, the critics of fashion.

There is no doubt in my mind that reviews these days are based on advertising budgets, “it” boys, 2 huge mother ships, one media empire and the whim of several soulless females and one male who make it their business to ignore most and anoint the few of little or no talent.

As with every season and every city there are designers who seem to be under the “acceptable” radar, which means they receive no recognition in the more mainstream media venues and yet they have been honing their skills for decades or at least near to one of them.  For whatever it is worth, they have built their businesses and their client base by whatever means possible and for some with full on presentations that few can afford these days.

Having said all this and spewed a bit of venom while ‘saying’ all that, I bring to your attention Tony Yaacoub and Eric Tibusch.  Let’s just say they are not household names nor on the tip of everyone’s fashionable tongues but they have been out there and as far as I can tell ... rather invisible to most of us.

The point here is exposure as this reviewer still holds to the tenet that knowledge is power and the more you know the more you proceed in a sage and intelligent manner.  Just offering an opinion is not enough for me, there needs to be substance that backs up ones opinions!  Digressions aside… here are 2 that maybe you will dismiss and maybe you will opt to delve deeper into their histories.

Again, the point is exposure …. Not criticism... so have a look at 2 of the “unseen” designers who were active participants in the haute Couture collection this past week in Paris...

Valentino Haute Couture fall 2013

As anyone who keeps up with my reviews will tell you, the reviews are rarely favorable when it comes to Valentino.  What remains a constant is that Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli are amazingly full of bravado, if not brazen, when it comes to technique, materials, quality and workmanship; but to me, it stops there!  Their design esthetic evades me practically every season since they began.

Here’s the rub for the Fall 2013 Haute Couture … my take is that the clothes, design wise, are surely not on my top 5 or even top 10 …  BUT, if there was ever a collection that embraced, lauded, utilized and shined a klieg light on the abilities of couture ateliers… this collection shoots to the top of the list!

For me, the whole monastic, somber tone of the seemingly robotic models  and clothes as well as  the presentation are not appealing.  The almost matronly lengths, silhouettes, hair and make up, fall flat in my eyes.  The color palette is bland, almost yawn worthy,  and without excitement.  If I was so inclined I might pick the collection apart but there is no point as once again, we need to be reminded that these clothes have an instant customer approval rating and it will be they who judge the success or failure of the collection.  BUT … there are some absolutely stellar pieces hidden amongst all the ennui.

The awe inspiring aspects of the collection are the embellishments, the fabrications, the workmanship and the finish of these garments which are all above any criticism that can be offered.  All of this is just mesmerizing and has no equal … not even the “modern couture” of Dior.  If one thinks of it, Valentino is the antithesis of that Raf “modern manifesto” as these clothes could not scream any louder that they are ONLY for the endlessly rich and reek of the heritage that is particular to the haute couture.

Bravo to the designers for fluently speaking the language of the Haute Couture.  It is just a pity that the clothes do not equal the sum of their parts.