John Galliano's reign at Dior was always going to be a tough act to follow. You could realistically liken it to the grand scale of a dramatic Opera.
A cast of hundreds of dedicated atelier staff, performances from the best in the business like pat McGrath, Stephen Jones, Orlando Pita, Michael Howells and the lead himself... John, who, much like in any good opera, came to an untimely end.
We now cut to 51-year-old Bill Gaytten, the new lead (or temporary understudy..?). He has been named the new creative director for the brand and had been working alongside Galliano for near 23 years.
So as the audience took their place for the performance, did the understudy live up to the high expectations?
It appears not. The main problem being the cohesion of the collection, where was the definitive storyline? it seems without a vision savant, the house has lost its way.
Gaytten said post show that his collection was based on the architecture of Ettore Sottsass, French art director Jean Paul Goude and Toronto-born architect Frank Ghery. However instead of the operatic feast that Galliano would offer (and lets face it, Galliano will be a stick against which all others are measured), Gaytten's performance was more the opening credits of "Saved by the Bell' complete with Formica colour palette and crazy mosaic pattern. The classic house shapes were there, but the refinement was not.
So as Gaytten takes his bow this season, we are left to wonder if the lead role has been filled permanently or are there others waiting in the wings for the audition... Or can LVMH forgive and forget?
One thing is for sure, I have taken all the sad clown I can handle for one season...
Chanel
A Chanel show is always somewhat of a spectacle.
First you have the set, usually something on a decadent scale that fills the Grand Palais, secondly you have the faces of the front row which has more imports than your local duty free store and thirdly you have the clothes.
Kaiser Karl set his sights on Fritz Lang's futuristic film Metropolis this season....think Madonna's video for 'Express Yourself' except with less gyrating.
A modern take on the Chanel classics rendered in black, white, grey, midnight blue and intense splatters of Fuscia. There was the staple suiting which introduced a new look dropped peplum (seen across a number of shows). Being cut just above the thigh, it exaggerated the hip and lent to evening out proportions of ruffled necklines or dramatic fishtail hems, the best example being worn by Stella Tennant in an all black number.
As modern as it tried to be, it couldn't help but feel somewhat clumsy at times with ill fitting 'sacky' looking pieces or over-styling with full head to toe look, this was not helped with the fact that the boots lit up as the models walked in the finale. I have always felt a gimmick hides/says a thousand things. Come on Karl....I know you can do better.
Azzedine Alaia
A polished, carefully edited collection that has you wanting each piece more than the next. Its the type of clothing you would marry an elderly billionaire for just to get your hands on it.
This is what Azzedine Alaia presented after an eight year hiatus from couture, but it certainly wasn't from lack of inspiration. His triumphant return heralded a new sophisticated plug for the creative hole that has been cut in couture this season. Perfect renditions of the coat dress delivered in the most gorgeous jewel box of colours, and innovations in knitwear that gave a new lightness and movement when executed in flamenco ruffles.
We can only hope another hiatus isn't on the cards for Alaia.
Valentino
Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli have had their finger on the pulse of the new wave of 'youth couture' since their takeover of the house back in 2009. Having struck the balance between the house values and their own unique aesthetic, they are becoming a design team to be reckoned with.
This season the duo had their focus on the last Tsar's family and a world lost, but instead of travelling the cliche Faberge egg path, Chiuri and Piccioli took it to a hauntingly refined level. A dulled colour palette and a simplicity in embellishment ensured that this reminisced Russian princess was more a memory and not a costume. Particular standouts were the white cashmere cape that fell as though it had been carved from milky marble and a feather hemmed, long sleeved evening dress shimmering in subtle gold lace.
Givenchy
Ricardo Tisci's Haute Couture has somewhat of a Monet effect. Effortless and beautiful from afar but a complete ant colony of chaotic perfection up close.
It is when you learn that one garment alone took eight months to complete intense hand caviar beading, that the appreciation for his art kicks in.
For his ten looks, Tisci stayed true to his classic shape, but entirely indulged in all things embellishment employing the use of beading, feathers, silk tulle paillets and cascading fringe which was poetically used in floor grazing clutches. His palette ventured from white to ivory to washed gold and was fused by subtle degrade effects.
It is clothing like this that keeps the argument alive of whether fashion is art....ummm I'm pretty sure its another collection from Tisci like this that makes a strong winning point.
Armani Prive
Elie Saab
'History repeating' seems to be Elie Saab's theme song and it would seem it has been on high rotation around the Saab atelier.
There is no doubt Saab knows how to make a stunning gown, red carpets across the world are evidence of this but with the same plunging necklines, thigh grazing slits and CD shuffle of shapes, Saab borders on safe to boring. On a positive, his usually heavy embellishment was back but felt somewhat lighter and airier in its application along with a soft fresh palette of sunrise silvers, midday golds to midnight blues.
Regardless, Saab is a safe red carpet choice for predictable Celebrities.
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