Haute Couture Fashion Week: all about the first day
As we have already explained, coordinated by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode , the Haute Couture Week happens from the 24th to the 27th of June in 2024. The big names of the industry reveal their Fall and Winter collection all around the French Capital. We compiled the best of the first day for you!
Even with all the fuss about the Olympic Games that approach, the Haute Couture Week is stealing the attention in Paris.
Many road closures and ensuing traffic disrupt the French capital at the moment, but not as much as the breathtaking collections revealed by Schiaparelli, Iris Van Herpen, Dior, Thom Browne, Gianbattista Valli, George Hobeika, Rahul Mishra and Juana Martín on the first day of the Couture Week.
Anitta, Selma Blair and Kylie Jenner at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture FW 2024-25 show in Paris
Schiaparelli and the powerful renaissance of The Phoenix
Daniel Roseberry’s collection, The Phoenix, illustrates the process of a bird being burning into ashes and being reborn with voluminous feathers. Over 31 resolute looks debuted in the basement of the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild, the collection opened with the orchestral repose of Bruno Alexiu's “A Bucolic Scene”.
The first model stepped on the catwalk wearing shoulders adorned with a 3D chrome trompe l’oeil plume embroidery over the dress, almost like a cape ready to be opened and reveal women’s new facets. The first act was a homage to Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, inspiration for Schiaparelli on the 1930s.
One by one, the other stunning women crossed that path bringing also the renaissance of Schiaparelli with a breath of modernity by Roseberry: “Schiaparelli was a phoenix, a magical creature whose power lay in her ceaseless ability to reinvent—not only herself, but fashion, too,” he said. For FW 2024, Roseberry was inspired by the personal wardrobe of house founder Elsa Schiaparelli – in particular, a painted gown paired with a feathered stole she wore in the early 40s.
A Museum by Iris Van Herpen
The Dutch designer Iris van Herpen substituted the runway for huge textured canvas canvases, where her models were suspended in a spectacular act. Her flirting with art is not new, since the brand questioned the place of the body in space and the future in this fast-changing world in the exhibition “Sculpting The Senses”, held at the Musée des Arts décoratifs.
Iris van Herpen is known for transgressing conventional clothing norms, while embracing both traditional Couture craftmanship and innovative techniques. The collection was revealed as a floating catwalk, blending fashion, art, performances and technology. Watch the video below for better understanding.
Dior: Tradition, Elegance, and Empowerment.
In the year of the Olympics, Dior recalls that in the past women wore corsets even in cycling events, questioning the "construction of the female body" by structures that imprison them, filling the catwalk with fluid, draped pieces in gold, silver and bronze shades. Maria Grazia Chiuri rescued and updated the emblematic codes of women’s sportswear in Greece and Ancient Rome.
These ethereal creations graced the runway, their delicate folds catching the light. But there was a twist—sequinned tank tops peeked from underneath, adding a touch of rebellious glam. Black leather belts cinched the waist, transforming the precious into the powerful. As the show reached its crescendo, metallic column dresses took center stage. Picture molten silver and gold, hugging curves and elongating silhouettes. These stunners are destined for red carpets during awards season.
Amidst the opulence, Chiuri surprised us with a modern twist. Gladiator sandals, once relegated to ancient arenas, now strutted alongside couture. Dior's reinvention turned them into a must-have accessory. Whether paired with flowing gowns or tailored suits, these sandals are the new power move.
The Real Olympics’ Opening Ceremony in Thom Browne’s catwalk
Thom Browne opened his show with an ultra-voluminous and dismembered blazer. In his collection, references to antiquity were also everywhere: shoes with laces and soles that resemble cleats, clothes with more rigid fabrics such as fencing uniforms, pleated skirts and polo shirts of tennis and prints with blue stripes, red and white flags of France and the United States.
The looks with optical illusion, such as the dresses with bikini print and human muscles or cape with a blazer design were also big stars of the show. All models carried a hoop (wooden frame used for embroidery techniques) and displayed a hairstyle reminiscent of the figures depicted in Greek paintings and sculptures. The Olympics’ ancient Greek origins inspired discus thrower and laurel motifs, while the finale nodded to the upcoming Games with looks in bronze, silver, and gold.
Le Printemps de Giambattista Valli
Flowers for spring? Groundbreaking.
What about for Fall and Winter? Mixing the exaggeration and the simple, Giambattista Valli brought models with colorful face, flower petals applied on the body and sneakers with the huge bows combined with dresses made with layers and layers of colored tulle to the catwalk.
Like the fabric, the ballet skirts also gained new concepts and were used to mark the waist and length of the dresses with "leaner" modeling. Valli ignored the sporty mood of the designers and followed its tradition by presenting proposals for wedding dresses, now with a futuristic and dystopian footprint, with hood, veils and geometric collars.
Valli embraces the healing potency of beauty. For him, flowers epitomize botanical elegance. In his collection, he generously adorned delicate, ethereal silhouettes with tulle bustiers and corsets, draping them in softly hued floating chiffons and mousselines. Blossoms adorned décolletés, cascaded from shoulders like shrubs, and appeared as blurred shadows on organza. Petals even peeked out between layers of lightweight georgette, billowing as if carried by the wind.
Flamenco Couture by Juana Martín
The Palais de Tokyo became a Flamenco stage when the models started walking wearing the new Couture Collection by Juana Martín. With vibrant colors, intricate details and powerful silhouettes, the Andalusian designer enchanted the audience in a homage to her roots. The huge but minimalist space allowed the intricate designs and vivid colors of the collection to stand out, creating a striking visual contrast that enhanced the overall impact of the show.
The pieces also displayed voluminous skirts and structured bodices, reflecting Martín’s commitment to haute couture craftsmanship and her cultural background, by blending traditional flamenco elements with a modern twist. The color palette was a lively celebration of bold shades, featuring fiery reds, deep blacks, brilliant whites, and accented with gold details and intricate embroidery. Luxurious fabrics like silk, velvet, and lace are embellished with ruffles, fringes, and beadwork, adding depth and texture to the garments.
The accessories were integral to elevating the collection’s overall aesthetic. Models adorned statement earrings, embroidered mantillas, and intricate hairpieces—each meticulously crafted to harmonize with the garments. Footwear choices ranged from elegant stilettos to embellished flamenco shoes, infusing the bold ensembles with an authentic touch.
Georges Hobeika: Day and Night
“Just as a flower exhales its sweetest scent at dusk, the collection uses the tipping point between day and night as the inspiration for a display of bravura”, said Georges Hobeika’s Instagram post. The Lebanese designer known for craftsmanship and sense of spectacle did not disappoint. The catwalk showcased exquisite creations, capturing attention with intricate details, luxurious fabrics, and elegant silhouettes.
A nocturnal garden inspired a mesmerizing display of Haute Couture. The Maison continues to push the boundaries of couture, and the pieces produced for the Couture FW 2024 meticulously captured the beauty of dusk. The catwalk showcased dramatic silhouettes with dresses cascading like waterfalls. The interplay of matte and shine, opaque and transparent elements, adds a sense of illusion and depth to each piece. It can be read as a playful conversation between feminine and masculine looks, with a poetic pink, ornately embroidered jacket making appearances in both wardrobes.
Rahul Mishra: bringing aura to Couture
Black, gray, ivory and white. These were the colors explored by Rahul Mishra in an impeccable attempt to integrate aura into couture. The designer looked back to his culture, spirituality and science to do so. He brought to the catwalk multiple heads, referencing Lord Brahma, the creator of everything.
Mishra decorated numerous looks with spiky nylon threads, to give a sense of aura hovering around a garment. He plied metal, glass beads, rhinestones and sequins to fashion this body-conscious collection, which also included shocks of red and silver, as well as a cape festooned with multihued embroidered flowers.
Critics have been condemning some Maisons for their recent “lazy couture”. I guess they would all agree this is not the case, right?
