Fashion Relic: Haute and Bothered

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Haute and Bothered

Oh, what wonders and opulence has the world of Haute Couture brought us now? Fall is right around the corner (thank god, I'm not sure how much more of this heat/humidity I can handle) and with it has come a surge of great fall fashion. Fall Couture Week just wrapped up and it did not disappoint! From Giambattista Valli's luxuriously voluminous collection to the house of Dior's revival sans fallen designer, John Galliano, it was an eventful time!

For those of you who aren't aware, "Haute Couture" is a legally protected art-form that refers to exclusive, very expensive, very high-quality tailored clothing. Each piece is made to order for a specific customer and is made from the highest quality of fabrics and attention, with some logging in at thousands of hours of precise, hand-executed work. Not just anyone can call their work haute couture, as well. As mentioned before, couture is a legally protected form of art that is governed by the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris in Paris, France. To earn the right to call itself a couture house and advertise a collection as haute couture, members must ensure that the designs are made-to-order for private clients with one or more fittings, have a workshop (atelier) in Paris that employs at least 15 full time employees, and present a collection every season (twice a year) in Paris comprised of at least 35 runs/exits with outfits for both day and evening wear.

This season, Paris saw thirteen haute couture collections. Some were obviously better than others, with Giambattista Valli and Chanel sitting comfortably at the top with their illustrious works of art, while others failed to impress. For the most part, certain collections seemed more RTW (Ready-To-Wear) than couture, while others just missed the target entirely (Dior). Azzedine Alaïa made a triumphant return to the couture world after an eight-year hiatus, garnering applause from the likes of Donatella Versace, Sofia Coppola, and Kanye West, while Bill Gaytten, thrusted to the top position at Dior, failed to impress with his debut collection for the house. Galliano is no easy person to follow, but Gaytten's attempt at marking his own stamp on the world of couture ultimately ended up as a very expensive, hot mess. (If Gaytten had shown at a different house or hadn't followed the genius of Galliano, would his reception have been different?) There were some pieces that we saw in the collection, however, that we could see working well. Jean Paul Gaultier showcased some very lovely pieces (loved the trench dresses) in a fashion that only JPG can be known for, while Elie Saab displayed a strikingly beautiful, elegant, and stunning collection reminiscent of a haute couture fairy tale. Overall, there were a couple collections that looked much too RTW for my taste. When I think of "HAUTE COUTURE", I think of luxury, drama, volume, and sophistication! Giambattista Valli and his gaggle of "Valli Girls" should be quite pleased :) Check out my favourite looks below!

Azzedine Alaïa