Haute Couture fall 2014/5 Bouillabaisse

Haute Couture fall 2014/5 Bouillabaisse

No matter the season, no matter the city, no matter worth mentioning or not, there are always designers who consistently show and are never recognized. Yes, some are, well… one might say less worthy of any recognition and then there are those who are just as valid and worthy as the marquee names we grow so weary of seeing and reading about in their fawningly paid for reviews. When I say paid for … it is in advertising dollars! Or being favorably looked upon by the Tsarine of fashion!

Many, if not all of the so called “unmentionables” are not backed by mega corporations and may not have A list celebrity clients but they show every season without fail and fill the season with diversity that it so sorely lacks. So today, I won’t ignore them and I will try to at least give a few words as tribute to their efforts. If you are thinking this will be a form of pity, think not!! This is just throwing some light on who is out there and who may be in the white hot spotlight sometime soon.

In my mind these are all designers who make huge efforts to be noticed and taken note of so allow me to NOTICE! Some of the names you will recognize and some will require a little homework but if you know me, you know I am a proponent of fashion education so start researching and learning.

So here are the “ingredients” to my bouillabaisse:

Franck Sorbier- a long standing stalwart designer of the Haute Couture who was once compared to Hubert de Givenchy... my my how times have changed! Thee are signs of what was but he has surely evolved snce then.

Ralph & Russo- the British invasion of the haute couture and ones to keep your eyes on .. the range is from matronly to fabulous..perhaps even a bit of Galliano

Alexis Mabille- talents misdirected... What happened to beautiful clothes? What was once exquisite and chic is a bit gimmicky and cheap looking

Vionnet-Goga is gaga to think this flies! A very bad joke

Yulia Yanina- Time to leave mother Russia as an inspiration

Viktor& Rolfe-save the political statements for your treatise... red carpet?? Get it?? why bother with these so called political statements

On Aura Tout-there is something lurking the and needs to be watched! This is a pot that needs to be watch until it boils.. if you catch my drift

Rami Al Ali- loves the fronds ...love the mindset... love the workmanship and details... watch him!! incredible details some knock out pieces

Georges Hobeika-clothes for the ladies and now even the little girls... not everyone wants only 20 something’s! He has something for everyone

Rad Hourani-all tied up in day wear and on the heavy side...lots of Japanese influence but very modern 

Eymeric Francois-when you find a designer who says his influences are YSL, Mackie and Galanos, you are bound to see the flashier side of haute couture.. This is what makes couture so fabulous, taking the time treasured elements and translating them to current times

Julien Fournié- he gives you from the simplest to the most elaborate.. it is a touch of theater int eh world of haute couture, but it's all glamour

 So start searching and identifying …  let’s hear if you have any designers that I have left out so I can get to them next time around … BIENTOT to all

Zuhair Murad Haute Couture fall 2014/5

What a wonderful finale to the past few days! Kudos to you Mr. Murad for ending a very erratic week on such a high note. While he is not one of treasured media darlings, he is surely a treasure within the world of design and haute couture.

I am going to say this and I mean it in the most complimentary way to both designers... Zuhair is the theatrical and more dramatic counterpart of Elie! They are really masters of their craft and forces to be reckoned with as they truly understand what Haute Couture means and then they show you what it means. The deliberately and unapologetically show off the abilities of the ateliers.

This was a stunning and colorful presentation that is long on drama, design and technique and way way short on ennui and “me too” looking clothes!  What Murad seems to be able to do is be not just a Johnny one note in terms of appeal; what I mean to say is that he appeals to the younger and flashier as well as the not so flashy and not so young and that is a Herculean accomplishment in today’s fashion climate.

What Zuhair manages to do is show you the dichotomy of his body of work. Don’t get me wrong here it is not like he starts off being Ralph Rucci and ends up being Bob Mackie but he definitely has 2 noticeable mind sets which he has skillfully honed and demonstrates rather clearly. What Murad also does is offer options whether it is color, shape, length, bare not bare, heavy beading light beading, or rather than go on he offers a supermarket of couture. The man is prolific in the extreme.

I am out of words here so now  what you need to do is look at the pictures and see that these are clothes to be worn, they require no information, no background, zip blah blah blah … nada... They speak loudly and clearly so you better listen up!

Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture fall 2014/5

ON THE COUNT OF 3 LET THE GAMES BEGIN!! 1 – 2 – 3! Here was jean Paul Gaultier doing what he does and living up to his reputation as showman, master designer and enfant terrible.

That monsieur was fixed on vampires matters not me as I can overlook the makeup etc. but what you can’t overlook here is that JPG is a designer who knows who he is and how to please his clients as well as retaining and showing off his sense of humor. As was told to me many many years that JPG is a master tailor and the simplest looking suits were the most divine, whether an all-black with a spencer and hint of links or the balls to wall beaded pin stripe. Then of course there was his notion of a jogging suit which came out in its many manifestations with a grey flannel leading the lot in chic.

JPG always seem to infuse some old Hollywood and this season was no different with the draped hood, opulent furs, the dresses with capelets and some of that “Austrian shade” draping that has become a signature. The vocabulary of JPG was spoken fluidly with lace anoraks, a show stopping ombre beaded gown, the chicest of suits in hounds tooth and some arresting gowns as well as isolated pieces. In essence this was all good… well not all but just a wonderful showing of talent and fashion. The millefeuille dresses and accents were amazing and to me the best as a collar on an all-black ensemble.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Conchita liverwurst and Ana Cleveland impersonating her mother but for me that was a yawn and expected but I was in love the gold chain pieces and yes the big link hoop skirt was amazing! While the gimmicks and shticks are all fun, I sort of miss the  times that JPG shows off that wildly soigne side that he showed when he was at Hermes and when he first began the couture.

The bottom line here is that JPG is a designer who designs and that what the Wangs, the Raffies, the Nickys etc; all are lacking his humor and the ability to laugh at themselves and the business they are involved in… oops I forgot... they need some help in the talent department as well. It is my advice to those rubes to pay attention and take a lesson from a master rather than try to convince the world they wrote the book on fashion and by the way their book has a single chapter, JPG’s book has 10 volumes.

Take a hint learn from example!

Valentino Haute Couture fall 2014/5

Here is my conundrum. When these 2 jokers were leaving the forum, do you supposed they bumped into Donatellamommamia who was there for her men’s or do you think they found the sign that said Zero Mostel was here?

Rather than examine this so called couture collection let’s make a few things clear right off the bat. The collections are all starting to look the same, they can’t deicide if they want nuns or sluts, this monastic shtick is wearing very very thin as is the vestal virgin image. The of course we have these these friggin million dollar clothes that are appliqued still one more just as the last couture and the last men’s and women’s ready to wear. Actually there was something new here today and that was as if they ran through some old villas or chateaus and yanked some tapestries off the walls for some more fetching creations. Last but not least there is this sheer thing they seem to be addicted to; you wanna talk about tired, you wanna talk about been there done that and when will it ever pass those skulls that sheer does equate or translate to young rather in their instance to peignoirs and Roman costume epic costumes or Greek Goddesses waiting to be slain or a shepherdess a la vintage Jean Simmons? Epiphany!! Togas, Maria von Trapp, Nuns, Hookers.. me thinks there are some issues that need to be resolved!

f you haven’t guessed Madame Muchless will catch a case of the vapors from it and Blah Blah will weave a tale as long as Roman history before the birth of Christ and in the end it is still a pile of nothing clothes that play out as overdone and understated to the point of ennui!

Done … finito… basta...

PS..I really did like about 5 pieces but hell that’s hardly a statement