Twice a year; we, who adore couture and all the history,
art and work involved in it; finally get to see and fall in love (again) with
the far-from-extraordinary fashion collections; those that inevitably would leave us
breathless as usual for their beauty, creativity, craftsmanship and something
very similar to endless magic. It is no by hazard or pure whim that the Chambre
Syndicale de la Haute Couture stablishes such demanding standards to be able to
call a collection an ‘haute couture’ one. These demands not only lead the
couturiers members of the Chambre to never disappoint and keep tradition a treasure;
but to also inspire and push so many others ultra-talented maisons and designers
to deliver the most spectacular couture as well!
Here some of the most beautiful trends seen on the
runways of the Spring / Summer 2017 couture collections…
BRIGHT COLORS
Gorgeous, very vibrant colors; such as yellow, blue,
purple, pink, green, orange and most of all red; made perfectly finished dresses and ensembles
spread their pizzazz all over. (Zuhair Murad, Francesco Scognamiglio, Alexis Mabille)
HUGE TULLE SKIRTS
Huge tulle skirts that exuded airs of royal charm stood
out; no doubt their alluring volume was intended to never be forgotten; and
they never will. So delightful! (Giambattista Valli, Elie Saab, Viktor and Rolf)
TRULY BUCOLIC
Infinite romantic and feminine dresses hooked the
public immediately, through their exquisite and perfectly crafted details and
embellishments; with tiers, ruffles, feathers and/or transparencies; as well as
their very fine fabrics; especially laces and silks; they all became an invitation to
participate in a truly bucolic parallel-reality. (Tony Ward, Dior, Georges Hobeika)
KINETIC CHARM
Kinetic patterns, motifs and designs that wanted to delightfully
trick the eyes of the public, made their strong appearance on these runways;
adding a charming dose of modernity. (Iris van Harpen, Yuima Nakazato)
MASCULINE COURTLIKE ESSEMBLES
Mostly accompanied with pants; there were beautiful,
perfectly-tailored jackets, full of rich details, extravagant necks, embellishments, cuts and opulent fabrics
that recalled the old baroque and rococo days of European courts. (Jean Paul Gaultier, Georges Hobeika, Yanina Couture)
HEAD-TO-TOE RUFFLES
Voluminous dresses and ensembles created head-to-toe in
ruffles, mostly tiered; injected the most perfect dose of extravagance; without
letting go of their wonderful romantic femininity. Gorgeous! (Chanel, Alexis Mabille, Ralph & Russo)
WIDE BELTS AND OBIS
Wide belts and obis became key accessories when it
came to accentuate women’s silhouette. They beautifully worked on fabulous dresses,
suits and eclectic ensembles. With big buckles, beading, embellishments or
simply made and crafted with extraordinary fabrics; they totally accomplished
their role as charm-enrichers. (Julien Fournie, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier)
3D FLOWERS
Spectacular, artsy, exquisite 3D flowers, as details
or all over stunning dresses, skirts, tops and toppers; in subtle or
extravagant hues; contributed to the most amazing feeling of dreaminess that
was intensely felt on the runways… A feeling that one would never want to let go! (Ulyana Sergeenko, Francesco Scognamiglio, George Hobeika)
SHEER CAPES
Flowy, princess-like capes falling over extraordinary
dresses of varied lengths, became almost a common piece in these couture
collections. With ultra-lux embellishments that reached the highest peak of craftsmanship;
these capes have become for sure a can’t-live-without element when high fashion
calls. (Guo Pei, Celia Kritharioti, Ralph & Russo)
THE BOLERO-LIKE TOPPER
Another piece that was repetitively seen was the
bolero-like jacket; a very short version of that cape that we cannot get out of
our dreamy heads. There were also delicately adorned with beading and details
that perfectly accompanied the most gorgeous dresses. (Jean Paul Gaultier, Ashi Studio, Giorgio Armani Prive)
THE LUX ROCK-N-ROLLER
The daring, adventurous spirits were not left out, of
course not! There were dresses and ensembles totally in tune with
great rock-n-roll vibes! Sensual black leather, metallic or shinny dresses, minis and suits; high boots, tough and retro details were very present for those
thirsty of some hard rock! (Alexandre Vauthier, Schiaparelli, Francesco Scognamiglio)
THE SEE-THROUGH DRESS
To-die-for see-through dresses in lace or silk; were
among the most spectacular, applauded and coveted pieces through the week.
There are not enough words to describe the outstanding craftsmanship seen in
these sensual, feminine and infinitely elegant dresses. The cuts, the beading,
the silhouettes, the embellishments, the details and finishing touches implicated
in this particular trend have left us far more in love with couture than
before. Perfect! (Elie Saab, Giambattista, Givenchy)
LIFE IS A RUNWAY!
Gaby
