Keeping up with the frenetic program of the fashion world can be quite difficult, so we have gathered all the best Haute Couture fashion shows presented in Paris for the Spring/Summer 2019 season.
While prêt-à-porter shows often reflect the spirit of time, haute couture remains typically provocatively extravagant, shunning reality for patterns of tulle, sequins, flowers and feathers, made by highly skilled artisans.
However, this week’s spring-summer 2019 shows, while still very aspirational, have shown that even the best couturiers could not quite rule out the real world.
Several houses, especially Valentino, leaned on a racially different casting; Dior has hired a troupe of female acrobats to perform during his presentation, as if to symbolize women who help other women; and finally, the irreverent clothes of Viktor & Rolf, with phrases like “I want a better world”, arouse reflections on the current situation.
Balmain
After sixteen years of absence in the couture with the latest collection designed by Laurent Marcier, it was up to Olivier Rousteing to report in schedule Maison Balmain Paris presenting the Haute Couture SS19 collection in homage to Pierre Balmain. The fashion show confirms the strong and overwhelming allure of the label bringing to the fore the aesthetic codes imposed by the founder between factious minimalists and elaborate architectural structures.
Avoiding practicality, the Rousteing collection included many completely white dresses, supersized silhouettes and bulb shapes, embellished with over a million Swarovski crystals, pearls, stones and beads.
Giorgio Armani Privé
Armani’s latest collection of haute couture was inspired by the Jazz Age, with the result of an abundance of flapper hats and numerous Art Deco style touches that made their way down the catwalk. Vibrant nuances of blue, red and purple appear among the bold prints (from zig zag to polka dots), giving a fun touch to the ever-elegant Armani.
Valentino
Valentino’s Haute Couture show received an incredible amount of appreciation, after creative director Pierpaolo Piccoli created a series of stunning clothes in the colors of the rainbow. The collection fused “fantasy and reality” and created a dreamlike landscape that highlighted the extravagant creations of Piccoli.
Viktor & Rolf
Viktor & Rolf have brought on the catwalk of Haute Couture, large dresses in tulle, all decorated with cheeky quotations.
Between a “Sorry I’m late” or “I Am My Own Muse” rather than “Go Fuck Yourself”, to name a few, the label describes these clothes as the typical simplification of the captions of social media or t-shirts in vogue nowadays. The juxtaposition of these apparently unrelated elements therefore translates into an expression typical of the surreal beauty of Viktor & Rolf. The entire range was performed using 8 kilometers of tulle.
Chanel
Following the style of the eighteenth-century gardens of Paris, Karl Lagerfeld is inspired by flowers to make his latest collection. Embroidery, such as paintings, floral motifs and prints are made of materials such as feathers, lace, resin and even ceramics. In line with what Karl Lagerfeld calls “the new Chanel”, the silhouettes take on a modern form with classic influences, such as two-piece sets, suits and quilted pieces. The last look definitely gave a twist to the show by presenting a model in a bathing suit adorned with a long veil.
“The bride breaks all the rules”, explained Karl Lagerfeld, closing the show.
Dior
Maria Grazia Chiuri has brought back the love of Christian Dior for the circus in her Haute Couture spring/summer 2019 collection. The theme emerged earlier during the reign of John Galliano at the luxury label, and has now been reinterpreted. Not only were the pieces inspired by the classic circus costumes, but the show was also set up in a tent-shaped structure, with artists adorning the catwalk while the models showed the pieces in the collection. For this occasion, the designer opted for a palette of soft colors with an emphasis on details and craftsmanship.
Givenchy
“I tried to adopt the most modern approach possible with everything,” Clare Waight Keller told Vogue about her third Haute Couture collection for Givenchy. It ‘s the case to say that the designer wanted to give a strong kick to the simplicity by showing off on the catwalk dresses in lace, with fringes and super colored, to show everyone her impeccable eye for details.
Maison Margiela
The Haute Couture collection by John Galliano for Maison Margiela is a love letter for color. Entitled “Artisanal”, the collection has exposed layers, graphic prints and patterns to a whole new level. Certainly when speaking of Galliano’s approach to the Haute Couture the only appropriate term is “more is more”. The models sported layered outfits, deconstructed pieces and shoes inspired by sandals, creating a unique silhouette unlike anything we’ve seen so far from the fashion house.
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