Paris Haute Couture Week was back with its in-person action (with a few fashion films as exceptions). The high-heeled energy on the cobbled streets of the capital of France resurged as couturiers welcomed their seasonal attendees to wear and witness their latest creations. Exhibitions, elegant soirees, small-scale concerts (hello, Katy Perry for Louis Vuitton) filled the 4-day couture week.
While legacy houses like Dior and Chanel continued to showcase collections that upheld their trademark aesthetic, labels like Schiaparelli, Viktor & Rolf, Iris van Herpen and Pyer Moss broke the conventional mould of couture. From art imitating nature to gravity-defying structures, here are the top 5 trends that will translate from runway to real life this season.
1. Dialled-up Denim
Schiaparelli Fall 2021 Couture Collection
Daniel Roseberry took the regular denim jacket and gave it a matador makeover. Schiaparelli’s creative director upgraded this regular high-street silhouette by volumising its size, ornamenting its surface and adding two giant brass plates. This treatment towards your beloved denim wasn’t just noticed in this show, designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Pieter Mulier for Alaïa also gave the blue-jean fabric its own renovation.
2. Sartorial Science
Iris van Herpen Fall 2021 Couture Collection
Iris van Herepen’s intelligently designed silhouettes are often beyond what just meets the eye. Her inspirations are interconnected with science and technology, which she beautiful brings to life by collaborating with artists, engineers and visionaries who use kinetic motion, energy and gravity as methods to her madness. Think intricate textures, patterns and elaborate constructions that aren’t cascading on the body but built upwards in a majestic way. The infusion of science in fashion isn’t new, but it has lately picked up momentum with designers treating their couture craft as wearable art.
3. Hybrid Silhouettes
Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2021 Couture Collection
Is it a trench coat or gown? It’s both. The runway saw a number of combination silhouettes this time around. For instance, Jean Paul Gaultier reconstructed the classic trench coat and designed a corset-inspired amalgamated silhouette. He also deconstructed the pinstriped pantsuit and added the fluidity of a dress in an otherwise crisp ensemble.
4. Minimal Maximalism
Balenciaga Fall 2021 Couture Collection
Demna Gvasalia of Balenciaga presented a statement-making couture collection with a less-is-more perspective. His garments played heavily on the cuts and colours, bringing creative drama with dimensions. Minimal or no embroidery was the primary mood, which shifted the focus on the shapes of the silhouettes. Demna’s couture love language isn’t in detail, it’s all about presenting the OTT elements in an understated way.
5. Camp In Couture
Viktor & Rolf Fall 2021 Couture Collection
Viktor & Rolf’s camp couture supplied drama to a rather diaphanous fashion week. Camp is essentially considered appealing because of its bad taste, but these designers infused concepts in their costume-inspired clothing. Their royal-themed line was full of pop-culture elements from The Crown and the real-life controversies around the monarchs. Giant-sized sashes, floral embellishments, pearls and foliage designs dominated the silhouettes in an enormous 3D style. Besides them, debut couturier Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss also took the camp route for his first-ever collection. He is officially the first black designer to showcase a couture show and through this line, he paid homage to his culture by infusing inventions from black people in his designs.
Pyer Moss Fall 2021 Couture Collection
