PARIS COUTURE FASHION WEEK SPRING 2023: CHRISTIAN DIOR, CHANEL, ARMANI PRIVE, SCHIAPPARELLI, IRIS VAN HERPEN & GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

by Cecile Paul · Published January 29, 2023 · Updated January 30, 2023

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From Showcasing Controversial Faux Taxidermy to Escaping to the Magical Era of Jazz and Art Deco, Paris Couture Fashion Week was Vocal in its Messaging.

Faux taxidermy – at Schiapparelli

Image Credit Paris Couture Fashion Week and Vogue

In the historic home of high fashion, Couture Week kicked off with the usual expectations and aplomb in the French capitol, showcasing – as ever – a highly select and exclusive set of legendary stalwart couturiers. The biggest splash in the media for Spring 2023 has to be Daniel Rosenberry’s fake taxidermy offerings for Schiapparelli. That really put the cat amongst the pigeons! Add to that the fact that American rapper Doja Cat literally painted Paris red – she arrived at the Schiapparelli show wearing no fewer than 30000 red Swarovski crystals to match her beaded dress. Talk about seizing the moment – and instantly becoming the talk of the town …

Over the week we saw the most exquisite hand-crafted details – from bespoke jewellery to hand-work that are testimony to the infinite hours that have gone into labour-intensive embellishments and garment construction at Chanel, Dior, Armani and all the rest.

Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen wowed yet again – not only with her wonderous futuristic and technological innovations, but also with the subliminal messaging behind her creations. And then there was Giambattista Valli … Suffice to say we were in powder puff pink, sorbet peach and duck-egg blue heaven and are still trying to find a way back to planet earth!

We picked out our ultimate favourites from the shows for you. Sit back, relax and escape into Never-Never Land …

Ruching details on this exquisite Russian green Thirties-style dress – at Christian Dior

SCHIAPPARELLI

‘Shocking’ was personified at Daniel Rosenberry’s couture Spring 2023 collection for the house of Schiapparelli. The realistic-looking lion’s head (not real, phew!) perched on model Irina Shayk’s chest, the wolf staring out from Naomi Campbell’s shoulder and the leopard about to pounce from Shalom Harlow’s chest got chins wagging. Why? is the question on everyone’s lips, conjuring up all the references to colonial African exploits and bad-taste big game hunting. Who would ever have guessed the references are in fact from Dante’s inferno (Dante confronted a lion, leopard and she-wolf in his journey)! Be that as it may … quirky details like the black molded-toe shoes and gold body-part jewels were SO Schiaparelli it wasn’t true. Love it or hate it, this is one of those shows that will be talked about for a looooong time to come. And talk about loving – how could one not just adored the pinstripe Shocking perfume bottle-shaped trouser suits?

A wolf leaping from Naomi Campbell’s shoulder – at Schiapparelli

Leopard magic – at Schiapparelli

A spectacular peacock embellishment with a nod to the Eighties – at Schiapparelli

Body-part jewellery – at Schiapparelli

Extraordinary gilded hair embellishments – at Schiapparelli

Enclosed, as if in a beautiful shell – at Schiapparelli

Plated ivory-shade details – at Schiapparelli

An explosion of egg-yolk yellow – at Schiapparelli

IRIS VAN HERPEN

Watch Iris Van Herpen’s show here:

https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2023-couture/iris-van-herpen

Innovator, futurist and magician, Dutch textile sorceress Iris Van Herpen yet again created a collection that’s not of this world, and displayed her creations in, well … an otherworldly setting too. Models glided and pliéd to classical music – underwater that is, their corseted and graphically-clad bodies striking elegant ballet poses. At some point a model screamed, and all we could see were bubbles – an analogy to the perilous plight of women in Iran, according to Van Herpen. Whilst her models in their stunning organic silk gowns in exotic shades floated around like topical fish, Van Herpen’s message was profound, a reminder that fashion can tell a story, in this case putting the spotlight on the many places in the world where women fight for their lives and where women’s voices are silenced.

Futuristic and sculptural – at Iris Van Herpen

Water ballet baby – at Iris Van Herpen

Fluid and graphic – at Iris Van Herpen

‘Bleeding’ purple ink – at Iris Van Herpen

Seafolly – at Iris Van Herpen

GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

Watch Giambattista Valli’s show here:

Despite all that’s going on in the world, a Giambattista Valli couture show is failsafe, 100% guaranteed escapism: floaty pastels, edible sorbet shades, sugary-shaded underskirts, endless meters of chiffon and infinite yards of tulle, over-the-top fairy-tale puff sleeves, voluminous, nipped-in-the-waist ballgowns, rosy cuffs, Cinderella-goes-to-the-ball silhouettes and dreamy accessories – season after season. This Spring 2023 collection was no different; Giambattista Valli took us away from all the stress of daily life and transported us to a parallel universe where dreams do come true. We loved it all, but the powder-puff blue mermaid skirt with its cropped top and mammoth pearl earrings definitely takes the cake.

A powder-puff blue mermaid dress – at Giambattista Valli

Peach melba and passion fruit sorbet, anybody? At Giambattista Valli

Can you smell the (oversized) roses? At Giambattista Valli

A symphony in tulle – at Giambattista Valli

Striking black and white -at Giambattista Valli

A gown fit for Cinderella – at Giambattista Valli

Exquisite oversized pearl earrings – at Giambattista Valli

Exaggerated bow and rose sleeves with diamonte stilettos – at Giambattista Valli

Pink, what else? At Giambattista Valli

CHANEL

Watch Chanel’s show here:

Virginie Viard’s drum majorettes in their cropped flared skirts, laced-up boots and bow-ties for Chanel definitely were infinitely appealing to Chanel’s ever-growing new super young set of followers. Out with the ‘old’ Chanel frump, in with the new, cleaner, shorter ensembles. Cut above the knee (ever so slightly sixties in feel) boucle coats in winter white, black chiffon swinging over cutesie tweed shorts, jewel-encrusted layers of sorbet embellishments, jackets with frou frou sleeves and frilly hems looked very refreshing – and very 2023 indeed. Eveningwear was floor-sweeping and oozed that unmistakable and effortless Chanel elegance that we’ve come to expect and adore over the decades.

Chiffon over shorts – at Chanel

A Sixties feel to this cloak-dress – at Chanel

Skater skirt – at Chanel

Almost edible jewel-encrusted layers – at Chanel

Daisies take centre stage – at Chanel

Frou-frou frills – at Chanel

A cheeky bow-tie – at Chanel

CHRISTIAN DIOR

Watch Christian Dior’s show here:

For those who adore the Roaring Twenties with all its flapper fabulousness and iconic divas like Josephine Baker, this couture Spring 2023 collection is especially for you! In fact, this collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior pays homage to the queen of the era of art deco and jazz, the inimitable showgirl and civil rights activist Josephine Baker. The collection features not only theatrical ensembles (as per Josephine Baker on stage) but also more ‘serious’ daytime looks (Chiuri was inspired by vintage footage of Baker wearing tailored suits and war-time uniforms). We adored nude-coloured, sleek, bias-cut, body-hugging sheath dresses, the ruched satin bodysuits, the draped velvet dresses and the beautifully structured tweed and silk velvet coats that contrast beautifully with the fluid shapes of the dresses. The ankle-strap platform shoes and twenties hairstyles complete these ultra-chic, decidedly retro ensembles beautifully.

A body-hugging nude sheath dress – at Christian Dior

A ruched bodysuit, opera coat and Twenties hairstyle – at Christian Dior

Transparency and fringing – at Christian Dior

A silk velvet coat and diamonte short suit – at Christian Dior

A Twenties feather frill as neck-piece – at Christian Dior

Epic and romantic! At Christian Dior

A metallic lace dress – at Christian Dior

Twenties-style hair – at Christian Dior

A molten metallic floor-sweeping deco-style dress – at Christian Dior

A pleated dress and cloak in ivory – at Christian Dior

Asymmetry – at Christian Dior

Exquisite details in this dropped-waist dress – at Christian Dior

ARMANI PRIVE

Watch Armani Prive show here:

Armani has a love affair with the harlequin this season. These theatrical jesters in their pale blue, gold and dusty pink creations appeared in many guises on the runway (incidentally, the runway also echoed the diagonal patterns of the ensembles). The collection that gave a definite nod to the Twenties Jazz age and art deco, had a rather regal and palatial aura about it (Italian Rococo?). We adored the frocks with their strategically placed diagonal cut-outs as well as the strapless jewel-encrusted dress with its plunging neckline and two matching cuff bracelets – elegance personified! The Pierrot ruffled collars added an element of fun and frivolity to an extremely glamorous, elegant and dreamy collection. Harlequin runway or red carpet, these outfits are a match made in heaven for for the Oscars or any other super glam awards ceremony. No doubt we’ll soon see the celebrities queueing.