Couture ragoût fall 2017

There were fantastical, comical, unbelievable, magical, hysterical, certifiable moments ... there were stellar moments that celebrate as an almost hymnal or devotional to the art and craft of haute of haute couture… there were moments of headshaking insanity and hilarity … there were moments of WTF is that and WTF were you thinking… moments of high camp and low taste  ... moments of the future and remnants of the past and to say that there were peaks and valleys would be an understatement … but alas in very small doses there were moments that you felt the impossible seemed possible. 

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Without question there some astounding moments from the likes of Giambattista Valli that came in the form of georgette dresses that were so meticulously and rapturously draped as to recall the past glories of Madame Grès and there were embarrassments from those who took to borrowing from less that astonishing ready to wear. There were flights of fancy from Schiaparelli and crash and burns at Ralph and Russo. There were moments that made you wonder that if Iris van Herpen looks mainstream and not so conceptual, what has happened to the collective eye or has the world gone mad? There were costume epics at Guo Pei, hefty bag drama at A.F. Vandevorst and drag queen drama at Ronald van der Kemp. There were even moments of chic abandon at Alberta Ferretti and too many moments of high camp.

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The take away is that there is definitely a blurring of lines when the astute viewer ponders as to where is the border between haute couture and ready to wear aside from the made to measure aspect? To me there is a confusion that sways between pile it on till hell won’t have it and then paring it down til you yawn at the simplicity. There were clouds of tulle that looked as if they magically and impossibly floated down a runway and embroideries rich enough to adorn Elizabethan velvets; Valli provided some exquisite pieces that have been so sorely lacking during this abbreviated season but bloated  and he truly flexed his fashion muscle by not only sticking to his brand DNA but also expanding the Valli vocabulary.

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As a whole you really have to wonder where the elegance has gone and the times that made one slack jawed from what was presented. Have we become that jaded or has the body of work been “dumbed down?” Where are the countless times you wondered how in the world could they make this happen? What kind of vivid and boundless imagination could conjure such glorious moments of fashion? Can someone explain it besides saying the world has changed and this is the progression ... I find that to be a cop out rather than reason.

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Haute Couture round-up spring 2017

Alexander Vauthier is the undisputed rock and roll provocateur of haute couture week. The clothes are... to say it simply and succinctly...  young and hot! He does what others aspire to... the collection is in your face with no pretense... it is the house’s DNA to the core… there is no repetition as seen in so many collections in terms one outfit in skeighty colors ... One exit, one way, one reaction, one HOT piece after the other... all exquisitely rendered… all pushing the envelope of what can be considered young couture! And that would include Lesage stoned waistbands on cut offs! Yeah baby!!

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Guo Pei is all about spectacle. Maybe it is fairy tales, maybe pure fantasy but it has little to do with any reality other than story telling. It seems  a pity to waste that kind of workmanship on what appears to be little more than stage costumes which surely carry the influences of so many designers who came before… case in point “the egg lady” who you might recognize from St Laurent days of glory.. Nuff said.

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Elie Saab is a beading wunderkind especially during haute couture. Here we need to really concentrate as there is such a tsunami of beadwork that the standouts are those which have the least amounts and make the maximum statement. Apparently he feels the need to show each style in multiple color ways which bloats the presentation but blurs the memory of what was shown... one might say it is overkill and works to his detriment rather than advantage. I believe him to be a wonderfully talented creative designer who designs but with shows like this he needs to redefine on how his collection is presented.

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Ulyana Sergeenko is all about who knows what and why. I guess it is good to have the dough to produce a show like this and I guess there is a client but talk about girls gone wild with tulip bra cups and crocheted ruffles to vintage Saint Laurent, she is all over the place and yet no place in particular.

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Zuhair Murad is another king of beading. This show while big on spectacle and high voltage drama and glamour could have used some efficient editing which would have exponentially increased its impact. The man has something to say about making an entrance and being noticed... it is just too bad that almost everything is shown at the same high decibel level and that the “simplest” had almost as much impact as the more in your face. There are pieces which if dialed down a notch or 2 or 3 might have been far more spectacular than the OTT versions. The pity is that there is plenty here but again a redefining and a more focused eye might have been of great benefit as presently the clothes by and large seem to be more suited for the stage rather than real life... so to speak.

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Guo Pei haute couture fall 2016

Make no mistake this is COUTURE with a capital C. There is no question that these are hyper feminine clothes and sometimes fantastical while possibly being a throwback to the glory days of couture when show stoppers were part of every collection.

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Yes, there are actually wearable clothes for so many women who don’t happen to be tsarinas, dowager empresses or queens, of the royal lineage variety. The cellophane fringe pieces are quite wonderful and we have seen that fabrication on the other runways as well. You might recall that Guo Pei was little known until Rhianna literally stopped the clock at the Met party a few years ago but she has nevertheless continued to thrive even without another magical moment like that. In fact she is in the process of “setting up shop” in Paris as we speak to deal with her ever growing European and Asian clientele.

 

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I found certain pieces to be quite lush and certain pieces to be quite over the top theatrical but then again, as said, this is COUTURE so we get to see it all. Theater is and has been part of couture as it should be yet clothes will always remain the star as that is why we are all here ... fashion! Skip the blah blah and let’s see fashion. .. The good, the bad, the insanely over the top and the boring. Bring it on!!

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Bienvenue Guo Pei!!

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PS.. it might be wise next time to dich the platform shoes and the over the top crowns and tiaras.. too Miss Universe