Where's The Magic In Couture?
Fall 2022 Couture Fashion Review
Couture week came and went, and if I’m being honest I was a little bit underwhelmed. That isn’t to say that there weren’t any beautiful collections or looks, but there was a bit of magic and fantasy that I felt was missing. Couture week is something that I typically look forward to, and I’m not expecting an over-the-top production from everyone, but at the same time, I expect at least one gasp to leave my mouth.
Schiaparelli was the first to show, and was truly a great way to kick off the show. In his show notes, Daniel spoke about how people look at fashion as this silly frivolous thing, and that causes people to always want to create something to make a point, but there’s also nothing wrong with just making beautiful clothing. While, this was one of my favorite shows of the season, it did not come without a few areas of improvement. There was a floral section that could have been a bit refined when it came to some of the looks, but overall was a lovely concept. Daniel said that this was inspired by books he’d see at his grandmother’s house, but Elsa Schiaparelli used to put flower seeds in her ears in hopes that the flowers would grow and cover her face, because she didn’t love the way she looked, so it feels like maybe that was part of the inspiration. I also feel like this corset and skirt are working more against each other, than together. Other references to Elsa’s work included using grapes in embroidery and in the most beautiful green pearls. A stunning black, velvet jacket was definitely calling back to a jacket Elsa made in collaboration with Jean Cocteau. It was also paired with a beautiful Stephen Jones hat, made by taking ostrich feathers and glycerinating them; I’ve truly never wanted a barrel of hay on my head more. This stunning jacket had a tape measure running down the center that referenced Schiaparelli’s ‘Shocking’ perfume bottle, while this dress was obviously a take on the iconic skeleton dress. Breast plates, typically in gold, have become a Daniel Roseberry staple at Schiaparelli, but also make you remember Elsa. A quilted look with trompe l’oeil breasts and beards, paired with a chained skirt was lovely and felt like a dig at Chanel; after all Elsa and Coco were rivals. This corseted look was stunning and had a bit of a bumster vibe, while this one was adorned in pearls. Speaking of pearls, let’s take a moment for this dress, made with a casual 60,500 fresh water pearls. There were lovely silks, some more slinky, while others had more structure. The drama and grandiose feel of some looks felt very Christian Lacroix. A simple, velvet jacket had trompe l’oeil drawers as the pockets; a design that Salvador Deli helped Elsa come up with. The cut of these pants and how they synch to create a faux bow is lovely, and this silver, metallic dress balances structure and drape beautifully. The finale look was a beautiful red silk skirt with red corset, and anatomical heart covering one of the breasts; super 90s high fashion, while also blending Daniel’s use of body parts and Elsa’s surrealism. Overall, it was a great Schiaparelli collection, with a lot of great references; I can forgive one stumble or two.
Iris Van Herpen eats couture for breakfast, let’s be real. Her 3D printed clothing made its way down the runway in abundance, of course, but there were also beautifully draped looks that held their own. Inspired by, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, one could think that there’s a tie in between the draping, and the Greek’s and Roman’s love of it. The opening look was made with a biodegradable fabric made of banana leaf blended with raw silk, and the Greeks would be proud of that DRAPE! Iris Van Herpen is on her way to be the next Madame Grès and Madame Vionnet. Even more on the sustainable front was a jumpsuit made from a 3D printed fiber based on the shells of cocoa beans, that was combined with upcycled organza. A dress with faces all over it made me think of souls floating out of the river styx, but Iris spoke about how it was in reference to the struggle of figuring out your identity and references Narcissus. The collection was very Iris, but it was also nice to see her take on softer fabrics and draping. She’s a visionary and continues to expand on her universe, and should be an inspiration to many; not only in fashion, but also in science, invention, and sustainability.
Giambattista Valli felt very messy to me this season. I’ve liked seeing more design elements incorporated lately, but here there were too many things happening all at the same time. While other times, looks fell flat, and could have used some refining. Valli apparently had Studio 54 and rose gardens on his mood board for this collection, and I don’t think those two things figured out how to play nicely with each other. Lately, there’s also been more experimentation with the way tulle, a Giambattista Valli staple, is used, but here there was nothing interesting happening. The mermaid tulle section felt unnecessary. Also, tell me these feathers don’t look like false eyelashes. The taffeta dresses with tulle underneath did have a nice structure, while tulle dress with silk in the back felt like an afterthought.
For this seasons Dior Couture collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri was inspired by Ukraniann artist Olesia Trofymenko. She was influenced by Ukranian folklore, and the Tree of Life as an emblematic theme. Here’s the thing, MGC’s Dior is still not for me, and I do think that her performative feminism sometimes makes women wanting to feel beautiful sound like a bad thing. Her couture collections often feel very pedestrian and would be better suited for ready-to-wear. With all of that being said, this Dior collection didn’t make me feel as nauseous as some have in the past. The Dior atelier delivers when it comes to craftsmanship and detail, I just often wish they got to work on better looking garments. This jacket, for example, is extremely beautiful, both in cut and embroidery; it honestly pairs quite nicely with the skirt. That same woven style was also seen in a dress, that created an incredibly well-fitted waist without using a belt. This collection actually managed to use the fabric itself and color blocking to create waist shape a lot, but don’t you worry, there was still a belt thrown in; it is MGC after all. The opening looks, drawing on the 18th century and using gigot sleeves were quite nice, and took inspiration from the same place Christian Dior did when creating The New Look. Another Dior staple is the color gray, but MGC made it look incredibly drab. The Ukrainian influence was seen in the style and detail of certain garments, but given the source material, I wish it would have been more evident. These coats were god awful, but these were interesting. Styling was a still a bit questionable, and the fit of some garments felt like it was pushing its limits. Lace details were beautiful sometimes, and working against themselves other times. Some styles didn’t hit quite the same as their 1950s counterparts and others felt like too many MGC-ism happening all at once. Overall, I’m still not sold on it, but I’m also not experiencing PTSD, so.
Chanel right after Dior; I know, I’m sorry. The thing is, I try to see Virginie’s vision, I try to give the looks the benefit of the doubt and realize they’re referencing something; her starting at the house in 1988 or 1920s and 1960s influences. I want to make those connections I do, but then there’s always some kind of jump scare that makes me go, I just can’t defend you, babe. Tweed is a Chanel staple, and some looks were fine, but overall nothing absolutely groundbreaking or redefining. I’m not complaining about tweed at Chanel, I do still have a brain cell left or two, but you’d think with such a vast history and archive, we’d be trying to giving tweed a new and exciting life. Do y’all remember the most recent menswear collection from Thom Browne? That was basically all tweed; not one bad look. A top looked like it had a really beautiful lace design, but then was never seen used again. I suppose that same idea was tried here, but was not executed as well. Virginie’s influences are so subtle, that it might sometimes be hard to spot them, so IYKYK, and if you don’t... Kind of with the same way I feel about Dior, Chanel’s couture collections feel more ready-to-wear. This tulle number was kind of cute, while this one could only be sold to me by Moira Rose. I can see Dakota Johnson in this, not that she really wears Chanel. I’d say Kristen Stewart, but they always pull the craziest looks for her. The bridal look finished off the show, and while the shawl looked quite lovely, the overall look wasn’t too memorable.
Alexandre Vauthier always has a fun way of balancing sexy, slinky, and provocative, with strong, sharp, and in charge. The collection was mainly void of color with pops of Yves Klein Blue sprinkled throughout. Overall, I thought the collection was good, however I do think some looks could have benefited from a bit of editing. I really enjoyed how the sequin lining of this dress matched the boot exactly.
Ronald van der Kemp is known for his upcycled couture, and this collection obviously continues that concept with things like used denim. Having a smaller quantity of fabrics to work with, the designer’s pieces are truly one of a kind. While overall well fitted, some designs were a bit blah. Also, could this perhaps be an ode to Ukriane?
Armani Privé always leave me overwhelmed because of how many looks there are, and for some reason my brain has a mental block when it comes to writing a proper review so instead, let’s do this. Most things fit beautifully, some things made no sense, this embroidery is delicious, this play on texture and pattern is divine, this sequin is stunning, this would be great without the belt, this is a loofa, this netting is lovely, the play on shape here is really good, this is sweet, this looks like an organ.
Viktor & Rolf continued the same structured, high neckline that was a large part of their last collection, but this time they transformed it. Looks not only came down the runway once, but then were made more “wearable” by the designers on stage. Rolf made a comment stating, “We liked the idea of men’s clothes that don’t fit, a masculinity that doesn’t fit,” to which Viktor added, “And then we change it to make it fit.” I really enjoyed this collection, and thought the looks were just as good avant garde as they were after being made a bit softer. The duo always has a way of keeping their collections a bit kooky and fun, but fit and tailoring never suffers because of it.
This season’s guest designer at Jean Paul Gaultier was Olivier Rousteing of Blamain. When I first saw this collection, I thoroughly enjoyed it; there were so many amazing references. There was also a really lovely balance between the two houses, with references to Olivier’s past collections as well. The show opened with a group of looks that called back to the iconic FW1994 JPG collection. JPG perfume bottles were taken and interpreted as full outfits, shoes, and accessories. There were molded looks and breastplates which Olivier has been doing a lot of lately; the molded pregnant bellies were lovely. Both of these designers do a lot of corseting work and make a lot of form fitting pieces, so it feels natural that that was seen a lot in this collection, and you can’t reference JPG without putting in a slew of cone bras. Pinstripe suits were classic JPG, as well as the play on lingerie and the breton stripe. There were a lot of trompe l’oeil styles, of course, as well as elements of deconstruction; more JPG stapes. We know JPG loves a kilt, and the trousers that looked like they had a pleated skirt draped around were fun. This look is a reference to one that Madonna wore in 1992. Olivier could be felt in the rattan pieces that looked like woven baskets, hooded suits, and draped leather. Now, I did say when I first saw this collection, I loved it. That is because, while I love this love letter Olivier created for JPG using the collection, and it was full of fantastic references, I also saw a video that gave us a better look at the garments. In said video, you could see that a lot of the pieces were held together by safety pins, weren’t constructed well, or just looked unfinished. It’s disappointing given the fact that you have access to this iconic atelier, and you’re not using the talent to make couture pieces that aren’t just for the attention, but also for the quality. Glenn Martens was the last guest designer and he produced an incredibly stunning collection. Not only that, but he also managed to put out a collection for Diesel and for Y/Project, both of which were just as good.
I know some people were not at all amused with Demna’s “couture” sweats, and I get that, but for the most part, I really liked Balenciaga’s Fall 2022 Couture collection. The show opened in a group of black, neoprene bodysuits, dresses, and suits. I really enjoyed the exaggerated shoulder here, and how it was rounded instead of made sharp, and the fit of the torso was so stunning. I also liked the take on “tailoring” in the suited looks; it was fun. There was a lot of beautiful couture moments and also a lot of Demna. Did we need a couture sweatsuit and a denim on denim look that would have been fantastic in a ready-to-wear collection? Probably not. I know Demna is all about commerciality and getting people talking, but. The girls have also really been loving a crinkle lately, and I’m not mad at it. A green dress, worn by Bella Hadid, had to be my favorite. It had the most beautiful bell shape in the front, and in the back it was cut open and was just a mini dress; she looked like a paper doll. The dress is also a reference to a look from 1958. Other references from past Cristobal Balenciaga collections included the use of feathers, as seen in another one of my favorite looks; the way the feathers create this upturned shape is amazing. This dress also seems to be feathered, although when I zoom in, I’m pretty sure it’s fabric that is shredded to look like feathers; either way, stunning. Demna also said hey Virginie, how you doin’, with these three looks. Everyone has been ON IT with the draping lately. This look? STUNNING! We also had a star studded cast, with the likes of Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, and Nicole Kidman. Kim’s look appeared to be made of leather, but I do think it was a silk. Naomi Campbell looked regal and made me want to get swallowed by a black hole. Two looks with sharp protrusions in the back were interesting, and I’m also pretty sure they play off of 1950s Balenciaga looks. It was interesting to see a small waist, large hip focus on a menswear look since we’re used to seeing it in womenswear. A full leather, belt dress was stunning and fit beautifully, as did most of the pieces. Also, just the comeback of a full crinoline moment is everything to me. The bridal look was fine. It was really the veil that was the star of the look, and am I the only one that feels like the difficulty the model had walking in this look was on purpose? I honestly wouldn’t put it past Demna.
I like Kim Jones, but I still haven’t been 100% sold on his Fendi. It’s fine, but I’m not stopping in my tracks to look at it. For this collection he decided to focus on three major cities; Kyoto, Paris, and Rome. Kim said he was going for simple and light, and it was definitely simple! There were some interesting moments, and I understand the appeal, but it’s just not doing all that much for me. I did really love the patchwork section; the looks were inspired by Kyoto and 18th century kimono fabrics were found and the panels of silk were attached in an asymmetrical style. That same patchwork idea was later seen in a few shimmery looks that were inspired by the Parisian lights and the architecture of the Eiffel Tower. A cream, sequin dress that looked like it was put on backwards was also really beautiful, with a thick collar in the front and an opening in the back. Some embroidered looks had a really lovely texture, and this fabric looks like a shaggy carpet made of sequins. I really enjoyed the reference to the crackle dresses from Karl’s SS2000 collection for Fendi; the mint looked especially beautiful against the silver. The sheer looks embroidered with leaves weren’t particularly good, and pretty, a flowing chiffon dress was sweet, I guess. I’m also not sure why we're doing the Emily In Paris half glove here. There were a lot of simple dresses that weren’t too memorable and weren’t too flattering; this one did have a dress acting as a train though.
Valentino brought the magic that I felt like I was missing this couture season. The show started strong with a beautiful rose, taffeta bubble dress that was Pier Paolo’s take on the Valentino fiesta dress. There was a lot of that rose motif carried throughout the collection on stunning two piece sets and jackets; all beautifully structured and well tailored. There was also a more relaxed, pretty chiffon floral moment in pink, as well as more chiffon in pieces like this beautifully ruffled top. The colors were delicious, and we know Pier Paolo is a master at color clocking. Love the cut and neckline of this coat; it almost looks like an exaggerated bateau neckline. Feathers were in abundance, because as we know, Pier Paolo loves a feather just as much as I do. A slew of beautifully embroidered looks also made their way down the runway, and the little baby doll dresses felt very 60s; the house was founded in the 60s and this collection was titled ‘The Beginning’ so it feels very synergistic. The fully embroidered look with face paint and all was incredibly stunning and the atelier really put in that WORK. My favorite had to be a drop-waist mini; the proportions and textures were yummy, and the sequin lining under the skirt is a fantastic touch. I love the draping on this look, and that same style is seen here with a feather trim; I love a slimy green. Flowy fabrics and extravagant head pieces were amazing, and this skirt felt like a feathery interpretation of a pannier. A more casual couture moment was sweet, and still held its ground and still felt magical, even with a bit of athleisure flare. I’m a sucker for a star, and the way this delicate chiffon holds shape is lovely. A siren like sequin dress had the loveliest wet look and I’m here for the deep cut sides and high neckline. I also really enjoyed a puff sleeve into a cape for a menswear look. There were also references to Valentino’s black & white theme, inspired by Art Deco and Roman mosaics. Pier Paolo continues to be inclusive with his models, however some looks, although quite simple, still didn’t fit the models as well. The inclusivity in male models, however, has not progressed. Models also had the choice of what kind of shoe they wanted to wear, given the fact that they were descending very large steps. While that might not seem like a big deal, what designer have you heard of letting models choose which footwear they feel comfortable wearing? Overall, we know there’s always room for improvement, but this collection was truly stunning, and one of my favorites of the season.
I felt like I was never going to finish this, but here we are!
So what did you think? Was this couture season also a bit underwhelming for you? There were the obvious standouts, but overall I can’t remember much.
As you know, I never proof read fashion week reviews right away, so my apologies to anything that makes no sense.
TTYL!!!
xx