Discover the must-have accessory trends for next season, straight off the Milano catwalks.
Tag: womenswear
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10 questions with Huishan Zhang
Just after he opened his first boutique in Mayfair, London, we caught up with the designer on his post-fashion-month plans
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Audrey Hepburn Auction at Christie’s
Discover our most-wanted selection from the Christie’s auction of Audrey Hepburn’s private collection, including clothes from Givenchy and Valentino, her iconic ballet pumps and jewellery.
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Seoul’s most innovative concept stores
Seoul’s concept stores are becoming top destinations for everything from cult buys to designer brands, streetwear, high-end fashion, home décor and exclusive collaborations which can only be found in-store. Take a look at our pick of the most exciting concept stores in South Korea’s capital.
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Interview with designer Roland Mouret
Roland Mouret is showing at London Fashion Week for just the second time in over a decade, we caught up with the designer to find out what he’s most excited about this season.
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PARIS FASHION WEEK: AW17 TREND REPORT
As Paris Fashion Week closes for another season, we take a look back at some our favourite trends from the romantic capital…
LANVIN A/W 17
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MILAN FASHION WEEK: AW17 TREND REPORT
Milan joined in with the call for unity this season; from Missoni’s pink pussy hats marching down the catwalk, to Dolce & Gabbana’s multi-generational parade, and Gucci’s eclectic styling and celebration of 119 individuals made for a perfectly felt nod to the current state of the world, something which Milan fashion week is rather exclusive of.
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LFW AW17 Trend Report
London Fashion Week followed hot on the heels of NYFW’s political statement shows, with a strong message for self-care. Designers notably used soft swathes of fabric, oversized knitwear and child-like nostalgia for Autumn/Winter ’17 – what better way to protect oneself from these tumultuous times…
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Behind the curtain at Paul Costelloe
American-Irish designer, Paul Costelloe is in my own humble opinion – severely underrated. Not only does the name encompass a family-run design business, with collections that include womenswear, menswear, bags and accessories, homeware, jewellery, eyewear and children’s occasionwear, Costelloe is also a bright leader in the use of hand-crafted, luxurious fabrics combined with cutting edge design, innovation and creativity.
What I like most about his shows is the sense of occasion; from the usually gilded venue to the individual looks of every model – Costelloe turns his ideals for next season into a beautiful spectacle, and the Autumn/Winter ’17 collection did not disappoint. Set in the ballroom of the Waldorf Hilton, models flounced around in Irish tweeds, fine wools and silk jacquards. Sleeves are exaggerated with a nod to the Tudor period, while femininity is celebrated through corseted waists and full skirts.
Plunging necklines and bold slit skirts added a modern update to the otherwise prudish look, and traditional fabrics collaborated nicely with latex and leather. Sheer fabrics, cut-outs and a metallic colour palette also added an element of fun. “Creativity, texture and traditional designs are what I want my brand to always be,” Costelloe says.
Take a look at backstage shots by Alexander Chai below…
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Haute Couture’s Relevancy in 2017
In these turbulent times, there is sometimes a need for escapism. Personally, for me, this takes shape in layers of tulle, glittering embroidery and a world so heavily cloaked in artisanal flair that only a real-life princess could accrue such a wardrobe. Such is the world of Haute Couture.
Unlike other Fashion Weeks held six months before the product they show is available online or in-store, Haute Couture is the only showcase in which clothes are created for the season in which they are shown. Yet, the production of each garment can easily cost five figures, and it’s a well-known fact that couture is a loss-leader – the couture industry is simply not profitable.
So why do we still look to these collections as the ultimate pinnacle of fashion?
“Haute Couture is what gives our business its essential essence of luxury,” Bernard Arnault, the CEO of LVMH told The Telegraph. “Set against the money we lose has to be the value of the image couture gives us. Look at the attention the collections attract. It is where you get noticed. You have to be there. It’s where we set our ideas in motion.”
Haute Couture was coined in the mid-19th century when Charles Frederick Worth, an English fashion designer living and working in Paris, started creating custom gowns for elite customers such as royalty and celebrities. A French governing body, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, founded in 1868, has since stipulated the parameters of couture fashion as a “protected name” which can only be used officially when the designer meets certain standards. Each couturier is annually examined to satisfy strict criteria such as having an atelier in Paris with at least 15 full-time staff members and 20 specialised craftsmen, as well as publicly presenting a minimum 75-piece collection of original day and eveningwear, at the Couture Fashion Week, every January and July.
Over the past 15 years, Lebanese designers, such as Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad, and Algerian designer Yacine Aouadi, have also been invited by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture to participate in Couture Fashion Week, which has introduced a new Arab customer base.
Chanel Haute Couture SS17 in Paris Editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar UK Justine Picardie explained to CNN Style: “There are some very, very, very rich people who want to buy and wear the most beautiful, handcrafted, individual clothes in the world… We’re seeing these great waves of new wealth, from China, from the Middle East, Russia, and also the emerging markets in Africa and India. What’s interesting is that they are buying these clothes in such quantities that a brand like Valentino, which is owned by the Qataris, has doubled its number of couture ateliers.”
Right now, couture is responding to the rising demand from Asia, Russia and the Middle East, while 60% is still American. In the past few years, 6 new designers have been granted couturier status, while Dior, Chanel, and Armani quite often organise private appointments in Shanghai, Dubai and Hong Kong.
January’s Spring/Summer ’17 couture shows featured the likes of Schiaperelli touching on surrealist legacies while John Galliano worked his couture magic for Maison Martin Margiela with beautiful faces in tulle. Thus summoning proof that couture houses are more than able to adapt to the changing environment. Couture is and always will be viewed as head innovators of the fashion industry, through the artisanal craftsmanship from which fashion has transcended from; ornamental yet difficult fabrics and the constant experimentation in techniques, cuts and patterns. Such rare talents in modern times, Chanel has recently committed to protect and promote haute craftsmanship acquiring and supporting 10 Ateliers D’Art specialising in rare techniques through a subsidiary company.
Through this, Haute Couture maintains its crowning relevancy over a sea of fast-fashion and ready-to-wear.
Sufiyeh 