Contributed by – Duhin Ganju & Shefali Jauhar
(DAY-2)
Day2 of Couture Week saw some of the most favored names in fashion as the luxurious journey continued. From Schiaparelli’s surrealist-inspired garments to Giambattista Valli’s blooming bouquets, each collection was light and subtle but definitely a true exemplary of dreamy art created in the magical French ateliers.
Elsa Schiaparelli: One of the most prominent fashion figures and a great rival of Coco Chanel, the Italian designer’s couture house did an amazing job with their current SS collection. With no current Creative Director, the collection was created by the in-house team, who worked cohesively to deliver a very modernized version of the brand’s design aesthetics. From flowy trouser suits to exaggerated shoulders with Salvador Dali’s prints, a lot of embellishments and sheer embroidery could be seen done on expensive fabrics like silk, organza and lambskin leather. Also Persian-inspired hats and strappy velvet sandals made the perfect accessory match for this futuristic, yet dreamy collection. The house played with a very bold color palette as garments mainly consisted of glitzy shades of royal blue, crimson red, bottle green and tangerine with hints of subtle beige and smoky black.
Yiqing Yin: The Chinese-based French designer showcased a collection that was a perfect mix of rich and luxurious fabrics with Venetian as well as Victorian drapes. From deep plunging necklines to Bohemian-inspired floor-length gowns, a lot of fur was used to create off shoulder tube dresses as well as rich elaborate stoles. Also, matte leather was used to create layered dresses that were worn with heavily sequined coats containing built-up necklines. Shimmery and sequined fabrics were seamed on top of each other to give an extravagant layered effect to the stunning garments. A very sober color palette including vivid pastels like turquoise, steel grey, ombrè, black and pale mustard was used to create delicate dresses, signifying the rich essence of Parisian craftsmanship.
Alexis Mabille: The Parisian based fashion designer showcased a jaw-dropping SS couture collection that had a whimsical quality to it. From body-hugging drapes to extensively daring silhouettes, a lot of appliqué embroidery and sequins were used to decorate strapless gowns with a fishtail hemline. Intricate lacework could be seen done on dresses as well as evening gowns, that were perfectly paired with heavily embellished capes that added a sense of royalty to the whole look. Off-shoulder gowns were fitted to the waist with satin belts and accessorized with fur-detailed silk clutches. An interesting mix of solid pastels defined the entire collections and some of the standout colors included shades of ruby red, hot pink, lusty lavender, royal purple, cobalt blue and of course… the classic black and white.
Christian Dior: The French luxury house displayed luxury to the pinnacle with a modern touch as the collection was a journey through the retro ages. Exaggerated hemline skirts reminiscent of the 1950s, bright colorful stripes in yellow, orange, red, blue and green of the 1960s & bright acid-vinyl boots of the modern day era. There was a lot of embroidery and embellishment visible in some of the garments. This particular show was nothing like a traditional couture show, Raf Simons brought about a modern spin on it.
Giambattista Valli: The couturier kept the collection very chic yet minimal in a colour palate of majorly black and white with soft pastel shades in pink. The collection exuded femininity as it consisted of sheer dresses and skirts, elements of whimsicality as seen in the puffed tulle skirts and was also heavily inspired from nature. Motifs borrowed from nature were quite evident, a tree of life jacquard, a floral rose print, silk embroidered flowers were some of the naturesque displays.
Dice Kayek: The collection showcased by the Turkish couture house of the designer-duo sisters radiated ‘couture’ in its truest sense. It imbibed a sense of modernity while still commanding a sense of attention in terms of immaculate construction of garments and the silhouettes defined thereafter. The colour palate was primarily kept neutral to black, white, cream with dashes of colour in between in emerald green, ruby red and cerulean blue. The collection followed structural minimalism with focus not particularly paid on embellishments but rather the silhouette. The look was completed with Mary-janes.
Day 2 of Paris Couture S/S’2015 witnessed a modern take on couture.From Dior’s journey through the retro-ages, Giambattista Valli’s whimsical floral dream to Dice Kayek’s structured minimalism, Paris Couture Week S/S’2015 saw designers that reflected modernity but with a backbone of tradition to lean on.
