Once reserved for an exclusive crowd, the spring/summer 2021 haute couture collections, which took place in Paris from January 25 to 28, had 27 designers on the official calendar present their collection virtually to a worldwide audience.
Below are our favorite looks from our favorite collections.
The designer takes us back to Paris’ legendary Le Palace disco of the 80’s. Mini shorts, black tulle dresses and shiny fabric mini are among the striking pieces of the collection. Swingy silver fringed or lame ruffled dresses with matching boots, made in partnership by Giuseppe Zanotti, crystallized stretch jersey jumpsuits to aruffled dress in red lurex velvet, this collection is all about the golden days of disco and dancing!
Labelled “Voluptas Couture” named after the daughter of Psyche and Eros, mixed with influences from the Second Empire Alexis Mabille’s latest hc collection brought back interpretations of his signature styles such as the smoking, trench and ornate gold embroidery while super feminine and flowy gowns in pastel silks swayed down the runway.
In front of a very limited crowd, including brand ambassadors Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard and Vanessa Paradis, Chanel set up a casual country wedding at its usual venue, the Grand Palais. The romantic collection by creative director Virginie Viard, filled with ruffles and embroidery on pastel and sheer dresses and tweed pantsuits, peaked with the bride on a beautiful white horse as the finale.
In “Le château du tarot,” Grazia Chiuri remembers Christian Dior’s passion for reading Tarot cards. In the movie a young woman wanders a Tuscan palazzo and encounters living Tarot characters including “The Fool” and “The High Priestess” all dressed in romantic gowns in sheer chiffon and rich jacquard or velvet in the Spring-Summer 2020 collection.
Next to Demi Moore’s surprise cameo, Kate Moss and daughter Lila Grace Moss, Chris Turlington and Naomi Campbell were part of the star-studded group of models presenting Kim Jones’ debut collection for Fendi. Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel “Orlando,” Jones won over our hearts with delicate, crystal-embellished gowns under flowing capes or sharp, androgynous suits. Set at Paris’ Palais Brongniart models walked a maze of interlocking glass “F” shapes.
Titled “Muse en Scene” Franck Sorbier’s latest haute couture collection merges the work of French actress Catherine Wilkening and his distinctive haute couture pieces. Shot mainly in black and white at Sorbier’s atelier, lace and embroidery dominate the collection for a romantic touch, while boleros and large trousers add a touch of masculinity.
Fairy tale dreams still come true with ruffles, bows, flowers and pastels with Giambattista Valli’s romantic gowns. For his latest collection a dancer, in gowns with oversized sleeves and ballroom skirts, represented the divine messenger who descends from Olympus to Earth to infuse the spirits with wisdom, goodness, and elegance.
Known for her avant-garde and technology aided creations the Dutch designer took inspirations from mushrooms for her latest hc collection. Titled “Roots of Rebirth,” the collection that “references the intricacy of fungi and the entanglement of life that breathes beneath our feet,” the designer detailed in a press release.
Paris Couture Week kicked off with Creative Director Daniel Roseberry’s flamboyant collection for Schiaparelli. Challenging the norms, the Schiaparelli haute couture client will be dressed in sculpted muscular mini dresses that show abs in all the right places. Yet plenty of gold embellishments from head to toe, more precisely biker boots, and with the maison’s signature lock, added that dreamlike richness only haute couture brings alive.
Taking inspiration from Manolo Valdés’ Menina sculptures French couturier Stephane Rolland sent out his muse Nieves Alvarez within the neoclassical setting of Theatre de la Villette in Paris. Voluminous silk tops paired with slacks to tight fitted bodices in braided leather or gold chains giving way to full skirts in silk gazar for infanta gowns, within a color mix of white or black with gold to fabulous headpieces, the collection brought back Spain’s golden age.
Pierpaolo Piccioli presented Valentino’s latest haute couture collection titled within the lavish halls of the baroque Galleria Colonna in Rome. True to the collection title “Code Temporal” the Roman couture maison’s latest collection adapts to the new “now” with luxurious yet toned-down daywear taking center stage, jazzed up with glittery face makeup and metallic platform heels and boots.
Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf set out to lift spirits and get some energy going sending out fierce looking models dressed in bright, shiny and crystal embellished bustiers, body suits and gowns paired with patent combat boots for their latest collection titled “Haute Fantaisie”.
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