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Paris Couture Celebrated the Art of Fashion and Honoured the Inimitable Human Hand in this Otherworldly Flight of Fantasy.

Chainmail sisters. At Jean Paul Gaultier
Image Credit Paris Couture Week and Vogue

Schiaparelli kicked off Paris Couture Fashion Week with a show dripping with extraordinary opulence and luxe, and a week of utter grandeur followed. As ever, the shows were populated with the world’s bold and beautiful making cameo appearances on the runway as well as gracing front rows with their own fashion statements. Celebrity model Natalia Vodianova strutted her stuff at Jean Paul Gaultier’s in a heavily embroidered military jacket and Maggie Maurer walked at Schiaparelli’s in a cocoon-like fleeced coat, while celebrities like Carli B and Yseult and model Amber Valetta were spotted at Balenciaga. Natalie Portman, Rosamund Pike, Elle Macpherson and Sigourney Weaver turned up at Dior, Diane Keaton at Thom Browne and Lupita Nyong’o, Kendrick Lamar and Sophia Coppola at Chanel. Heidi Klum and Rita Ora stunned with their skin-bearing outfits while Shakira, Lily James, Naomi Watts, Olivia Palermo were spotted front-row at many of the shows. One can say, hand on heart, that the ‘side-shows’ were indeed equally mouth-watering!

But back to the real macoy … join us and enjoy our hand-picked selection of what can only be considered as nothing short of pure art …

Image Credit Page 6 Style and Getty Images.
The stars came out to play! Cardi B and Heidi Klum at Jean Paul Gaultier, Amber Valetta at Balenciaga at Paris Couture 2023/4.

THOM BROWN

The talk of the town in Paris was American maestro Thom Browne’s maiden voyage onto the red carpet at Paris Couture. And what an entrance it was! Legend Alek Wek kicked off the show with, surprise, surprise, Browne’s favourite accessory, the travel trunk. And so began the journey … Says Browne, “The main character was sitting at the station, thinking about her life and not being very happy. And then all of a sudden she sees all of her fantasies walking in. She was planning on drowning in her sorrows. So that was the reason for all the underwater kind of things—the preppy East Coast iconography that I play with all the time. But then she realizes her life was actually better than she thought. So she didn’t get on the train.”

The tailoring along this voyage took our breaths away: coats with upholstery-like bulging sleeves and visual-illusion overlays were interchanged with ensembles featuring underwater imagery – starfish, anchors, seaweed, lighthouses … there was even a mermaid coat dress with fish scales and mock breasts embroidered in gold. The unmistakable Thom Browne silhouettes of impeccably tailored coats over jackets, and jackets over waistcoats were there too, with some coats sporting a three-quarter sleeve for effect, in delectable tactile tweed as well as sleek wool. The colour palette remained a demure play between charcoal and cream, but the subtle textures and shades within the variations shouted with joy. We suspect Thom Browne’s loyal following has plenty wardrobe concessions to make … !

Watch Thom Browne’s show here:

Bulging, ‘upholstered’ sleeves and collage overlays. At Thom Browne

Gilt embroidered seaside imagery. At Thom Browne

Heavy tweed in the shorts suit. At Thom Browne

Opulent layers of molten charcoal. At Thom Browne

Modern-day mermaid. At Thom Browne

Surreal and avant-garde. At Thom Browne

Fingerless gloves add to this luxe layered gown. At Thom Browne

SCHIAPARELLI

Remember the faux taxidermy of last season’s offering from Daniel Roseberry? Well, the output for AW 2023 was equally memorable, albeit with a decidedly painterly spin on the collection – surrealism to be exact. In fact, in many instances it was almost impossible to tell where a garment stopped and an accessory started, where a model’s body (that also got the painterly treatment) ceased and the artwork commenced. It was a feast for the eye, featuring sculptural silhouettes and tactile surface textiles, all effortlessly integrated into unforgettable ensembles. A Delft-blue Kimono coat with exaggerated sleeves and collar, a blue and brown velvet coat with Dali-esque jewels dripping from it, a skater’s skirt in cobalt blue, a sheepskin-lookalike cocoon with a surreal wooden pair-of-hands necklace, a ‘mosaic’ dress … the list of ‘wow’ pieces kept coming. This is a collection that has evidently pushed the boundaries of creativity and one that shouts the question, ‘what if…?’

Watch Schiaparelli’s show here:

A skater’s skirt and spray-on bodice in striking cobalt. At Schiaparelli

Opulent silk velvet in graded shades of blue and brown, with dripping jewellery. At Schiaparelli

A Delft-inspired coat with oversized sleeves, collar and belt. At Schiaparelli

A fleecy cocoon with surrealist jewellery. At Schiaparelli

A swirling skirt and cropped top ensemble. At Schiaparelli

A mosaic tribute. At Schiaparelli

Delicious monster-shaped jewellery embellish a voluminous ‘tile’ coat. At Schiaparelli

Olive velvet in this sculptural gown. At Schiaparelli

Raven feathered ‘wings’. At Schiaparelli

IRIS VAN HERPEN

The queen of technological innovation and forward-thinking futurism in Fashion pulled off

yet another collection of jaw-dropping designs that fire up the imagination no end. These creations are tactile, fluid and above all, sculptural and fantastical. Van Herpen’s infatuation with water and the ocean has fueled an offering that can only be described as an architectural and engineering feat – as well as a breathtakingly beautiful one to boot. These one-offs are products of Van Herpen’s ethos of constantly challenging what’s possible within the scope of textile and design engineering, whilst prioritising sustainability. There are swirling, organic shapes that wrap around the body, close-cut bodices with 2-D and 3-D shapes attached to them and laser-cut metallic shapes that seem to explode like giant fireworks, amongst others. It seems for this designer neither sky – and the depths of the ocean – are the limit.

Watch Iris Van Herpen’s show here:

Organic shapes wrap around the body, ready to take flight! At Iris Van Herpen

Swirling, pleated gold shapes. At Iris Van Herpen

2-D metallic laser-cut applications. At Iris Van Herpen

Woman warrior! At Iris Van Herpen

‘Sprayed-on’ blue metallic shapes. At Iris Van Herpen

An ‘explosion’ of asymmetric arrows. At Iris Van Herpen

A fountain of cascading shapes. At Iris Van Herpen

A stunning pleated sea-green creation. At Iris Van Herpen

CHANEL

Creative director Virginie Viard’s collection for Chanel was in keeping with what she’s been doing for the house over the past few seasons, to create pieces that are fresh, romantic and youthful, that appeal to a younger generation, and above all, have the hallmarks of French fashion. A floor-sweeping, double breasted navy coat kicked off proceedings, and from there an array of floral gowns, tiered blouses, tops with narrow straps, full skirts and lace, sequin and chiffon ensembles followed. Dogwalkers and flower-pickers with quaint baskets wore these pieces as if to say, that’s what couture is for, to be worn every day and not kept for special occasions. It is predominantly a frou-frou collection – but with an alter ego of solid, ultra-wearable staples. It’s definitely Chanel for a new generation.

Watch Chanel’s show here:

A floor-sweeping coat in boucle. At Chanel

Opulent milkmaid! At Chanel

A romantic rendition of roses and tulle. At Chanel

A ‘luxe peasant’ in a gorgeous tiered blouse and pleated tweed skirt. At Chanel

Graded silver lace in this ensemble with its delicate thin straps and tubular skirt. At Chanel

CHRISTIAN DIOR

An immense offering – both in quality and quantity (66 looks, huge for couture) was presented at this legendary French Couture House. The classic and statuesque silhouettes – all within a ultra-luxe colour palette of white, champagne, gold and black – couldn’t have been more jaw-dropping, each capturing a piece of modern history. Greek, Roman, Trojan, Minoan goddesses, they were all there. The creations ranged from simple and statuesque tunics to fluid, floaty and nymph-like, ballet-esque gowns, their textures anything from transparent chiffon and organza to tactile origami, fringing and gold embroidery. Some looks were delightfully simple and modest, others wonderfully complex and ostentatious –as a whole the contrast couldn’t have been more mesmerising or memorable.

A classic Greek princess! At Christian Dior

Sleek and sculptural. At Christian Dior

Trojan warrior princess! At Christian Dior

Romantic nudes drapes with delicate gold embroidery. At Christian Dior

Macramé magic. At Christian Dior

Ultra-luxe simplicity in this sleek tunic. At Christian Dior

Transparent metallic delicacy. At Christian Dior

Tiered golden layers. At Christian Dior

Gold opulence in this floor-sweeping gown. At Christian Dior

Layers of the finest silver lace. At Christian Dior

Shorts and a cropped top are overlaid with transparent lace. At Christian Dior

Dare to bare! At Christian Dior

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

Who doesn’t remember the Enfant Terrible of French fashion Jean Paul Gaultier’s very first collection in 1984 complete with that conical bra-dress? So, when Julien Dossena who designs for Paco Rabanne was asked to do a guest designer stint at Gaultier for Paris Couture, he jumped at the chance to put his stamp on a fashion house that is synonymous with French fashion, and at Gaultier’s request he was to incorporate some of Rabanne’s (who died earlier this year) magic. And magical it is! Gaultier’s hourglass silhouettes were dished up in faux fur and pinstripes, his signature striped Breton top presented in fuzzy mohair, his trapper hat was there too and so was his vintage lace. Rabanne’s famous chainmail even connected a male and female model in the spirit of ‘togetherness’ – a lovely touch and sentiment no doubt evoked by the recent trouble on the street of Paris.

Watch Jean Paul Gaultier’s show here:

The famous hourglass shape in a leopard print rendition. At Jean Paul Gaultier

Chantilly lace princess. At Jean Paul Gaultier

Natalia Vodianova in a military jacket. At Jean Paul Gaultier

Gaultier’s famous striped Breton gets fuzzy. At Jean Paul Gaultier

Almost nude goddess! At Jean Paul Gaultier

The famous hourglass shaped in pinstripes. At Jean Paul Gaultier

A nod to recycling. At Jean Paul Gaultier