Paris Haute Couture Week 2021 (but a bit different)
This season the fashion industry has had to rethink the traditional ways of presenting their masterpieces. Each house created a short fashion film or a digital fashion show, in order to show what they have come up with in the past few months. Without any guests invited, the industry had to face the hard situation which has already affected all of the branches of careers and personal lives. The haute couture fashion shows “behind closed doors” ran from January 25 to 27 on our screens.
Schiaparelli
Iris van Harpen
Christian Dior
Chanel
Valentino
Alexandre Vauthier
Giorgio Armani Privé
Fendi
Viktor&Rolf
Monday started with Schiaparelli, Ulyana Sergeenko, Iris Van Herpen, Christian Dior and Giambattista Valli. Next were Tuesday's collections from Stéphane Rolland, Chanel, Valentino, followed by Alexandre Vauthier, ending with Giorgio Armani and AZ Factory. The last day was launched with Maison Margiela, Franck Sorbier, Fendi Couture, Elie Saab, and Viktor and Rolf. Let's delve into the world of fashion during covid and bring you an overview of the most significant shows of the Paris Haute Couture Week 2021.
Schiaparelli
The creative director Daniel Roseberry knows how to avoid the typical Haute Couture set-in-their-ways style for sure! With a small hint on Kim Kardashian's Instagram wearing a green breastplate as her holiday look, we could see that this collection was going to be something entirely different and new. It is considered to be the resurrection of the Schiaparelli house.The collection speaks to the modern age obsession with the image of the perfect fitness physique. Extravagant gold details, manifold shapes and colours, masculine silhouettes, molded leather, unexpected techniques of styling are truly worth watching!
Photo: Courtesy of Schiaparelli/Daniel Roseberry
Iris Van Herpen
With a collection inspired by the book “Entangled life” dedicated to fungi, their importance and their survival on Earth, Iris Van Herpen has really translated the book into fashion. Magical, odd atmospheres with a mix of natural, scientific and technological elements are what really stand out here. The Dutch designer has processed waste from the seas into something truly wonderful and sustainable.
Photo: Courtesy of Iris Van Herpen
Christian Dior
There couldn't be a more mysterious setting than in Dior's labyrinth located in a castle. The uncertainty of this time was shown in the tarot cards which help us to understand our future and give us a feeling of guidance. The protagonist of the film meets each of the tarot figures dressed in beautiful clothes inspired by the Renaissance period. When the girl meets all of her emotions and the aspects of her personality, she learns she does not have to be scared of the future. The cinematic side of the film is simply spectacular. The characters are attired in evening dresses adorned with abstract shapes, noble brocade robes, and high-waisted corseted bodices.
Photo: Courtesy of Christian Dior
Chanel
In the dreamy world of Chanel, there is always something to celebrate. This year we enjoyed the beauty of family gatherings, weddings, and surrounding ourselves with the people that let us shine our brightest. Is there a more romantic place than the Grand Palais in Paris? The ideas of dance, freedom, love and optimism is represented in beautiful elegant embroidered macramé dresses and trouser suits. It's little wonder that after this show many mademoiselles and madames were enchanted by the gorgeous garments and desired to have them in their own wardrobes.
Photo: Courtesy of Chanel
Valentino
73 elaborate looks introduced in the Haute Couture SS 2021 collection combined women’s and men’s wear. At the heart of it are unisex garments such as the trench coat in many different sillhouettes. The combination of coral green, ocher, pastels, neon green, and contrasts seems so fresh and elegant. Just when you think Pierpaol Piccioli's collection is too simple, he pulls out a showstopper like high gold and silver heels and painted faces.
Photo: Courtesy of Valentino
Alexandre Vauthier
Alexandre Vauthier is ready to party in his full glam! Charming dresses embellished with fringes, plunging necklines, glittering and shimmering gowns, extraordinary shapes of blouses and cowboy-inspired pants dazzled from our screens on the 27th of January. The show might refer to the never-dying disco spirit, which is sorely-missed during the pandemic.
Photo: Courtesy of Alexandre Vauthier
Giorgio Armani Privé
In the beautiful baroque Via Borgonuovo palazzo building an even more charming fashion show was filmed. A collection inspired by the Renaissance included ruff collars, pagoda shoulders, a klein blue ball gown, glittery suits, black velvet and more. As we all know, Armani can clothe many celebrities such as Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, and Shawn Mendes for the red carpet. Suffice to say, a sense of elegance permeated each look.
Photo: Courtesy of Armani Privé
Fendi
A collection inspired by the emotional story Orlando was an amazing boost of creativity. Looking at Fendi's collections, many fashionistas hold their breath. Ubiquitous gowns full of pearls, lace, transparent dresses with veils and black originally-cut suits sparkled with elegance. It is little wonder that the cornerstone element was nothing more than a typical men’s suit with a hood. Accompanying us in these mysterious spaces full of glass are celebrities such as Christy Turlington, Bella Hadid, Kate Moss and Demi Moore. The labyrinth of glassy “cages” might be a reference to the lack of social contact during this complicated ongoing situation.
Photo: Courtesy of Fendi
Viktor&Rolf
“Traditionally 'beautiful' couture references are put into a raw, young context,” is how the Dutch duo described their recent collection. There could not be a more joyful party-setting with a touch of the uncertainty of this time than in this fashion show. Crazy huge puffy sleeves and shimmery flounces played a huge role in this collection. A lot of different colored lines, stripes and ornaments adorned the long and short dresses which were completely ready for a party. The designers connected the energetic collection with the upcoming spring and they gave us hope that our lives will go back to normal and we all will value the ‘ordinary life’ much more than we ever did before.
Photo: Team Peter Stigter / Courtesy of Viktor & Rolf
Looking at these collections, we witnessed that fashion responds to current events in its own way. Some of the houses built their own catwalk without spectators, whereas some of them created a fascinating movie or an original short film. All of them gave us a certain feeling of joy and hope. It is definitely worth watching, and not only the biggest houses mentioned above but also other shows.
Written by Adél
SOURCES
LAIRD BORRELLI-PERSSON: Viktor & Rolf SPRING 2021 COUTURE, Vogue Runway https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2021-couture/viktor-rolf
Oli Egler: Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2021 je zahájeno, Harpers bazaar, https://www.harpersbazaar.cz/c/haute-couture-spring-summer-2021-je-zahajeno-/
IMAGES
https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2021-couture
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