British designers took the spotlight at Paris Haute Couture this season, which concluded on Thursday. John Galliano at Margiela, Simone Rocha as Jean Paul Gaultier’s guest creator, and Kim Jones at Fendi presented distinctive visions, defining the extraordinary essence of fashion in a week filled with theme-y fashion and nicely crafted clothes.
Margiela
Renowned for his theatrical brilliance, John Galliano made a captivating return to his signature showman genius, orchestrating a mesmerizing spectacle in a historic vaulted bar and cave in Paris. The venue, steeped in history, became the canvas for Galliano’s transformative fashion fantasy, where reality seemed to dissolve.
The runway showcased Galliano’s unique corsetry and hourglass silhouettes, contrasting their complexity with the rebellious allure of the models. Shimmering makeup added an ethereal quality, creating a striking contrast with Galliano’s avant-garde ensembles that effortlessly combine modern aesthetics with a touch of naughtiness and antiquated charm.
With three Kardashians in the front row, Margiela’s haute couture underscored its significance on the Paris calendar, with Galliano weaving the dream of fashion into an art form.
Fendi
At Fendi, artistic director Kim Jones came into his own, offering a harmonious blend of futurism and humanism, poetry and pragmatism. Inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy, Jones replaced fur with faux alternatives, though not compromising their lustre or appeal. A ‘Scatola’ silhouette featured geometric patterns, showcasing volumes in silk gazar, and integrated crocodile leather for a fluid dance-inspired touch.
Embracing an element of less is more, a tight edit of looks, complemented by fine jewellery and futuristic eyewear, brought clothes back to their essence, particularly the column dresses that are certain to resonate with Hollywood stylists come the Oscars.
“In the collection there is a humanism at the heart of this future; there’s the body, the silhouette within the silhouette, the person and the handwork of the couture,” Mr Jones said in a statement. “The collection is about structure and decoration, where the two become indivisible. I wanted an idea of precision and emotion at once.”
Jean Paul Gaultier
As Jean Paul Gaultier’s sixth guest designer, Simone Rocha showcased her talent in a house known for its iconic codes and sense of humour. Rocha fearlessly reworked Gaultier’s infamous cone bra into new feminine silhouettes, such as a subversive corset minidress with thorny bra, streaming strands of silk, or a bedazzled babydoll with ruched layers of gauzy satine, held together by a diamanté bra.
The collaboration appeared to be a successful marriage of subversive romanticism mixed with a dash of fun, earning Rocha high praise from Gaultier, who commended her beauty and intelligence, and describing it as beyond his expectations.
