Haute Couture Week news and archive

Iris Van Herpen dresses women as a jellyfish, Schiaparelli launches them into the future

Paris – Designer Iris Van Herpen proposed a descent into the deep sea on the first day of Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture. The spectacular show included laser lights that sculpted her creations as they moved down the runway. Known for her fusion of high technology and fashion, the Dutch designer presented skin-tight dresses. These dresses...

Fairs

Paris Couture Week to feature live catwalk shows

Paris Couture Week taking place in July will feature eight catwalk events, with limited guests, according to the provisional calendar published by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode this week. Luxury fashion brands Christian Dior, Chanel, Giorgio Armani Privé, Balenciaga, Jean Paul Gaultier, Azzaro Couture, Zuhair Murad and...

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Fashion

Kim Jones unveils Fendi Haute Couture debut

British fashion designer Kim Jones, who was appointed artistic director of Fendi in September 2020, has unveiled his debut haute couture collection for the Italian fashion house. Drawing from seemingly diverse inspirations, from the visual language of Bernini's marbles to Virginia Woolf's time-travelling, gender-blurring novel ‘Orlando’, the...

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Fashion

Alber Elbaz returns to fashion with AZ Factory

Alber Elbaz marked his return to fashion with his start-up AZ Factory with a personality-filled digital presentation during Paris Haute Couture Week. Offering what he calls a “digital entertainment take on luxury,” Elbaz used his presentation to share not only his fashion creations but also the ethos of the company, “smart fashion that cares”. “...

Fashion

Iris van Herpen inspired by fungi for haute couture collection

Iris van Herpen showcased her latest collection ‘Roots of Rebirth’ during Paris Haute Couture Week, with 21 looks inspired by roots and spores. The collection explores the symbiosis of high technology with artisanal craftsmanship of couture, referencing the “intricacy of fungi and the entanglement of life that breathes beneath our feet,” said...

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Chanel looks to wedding parties for spring haute couture

For spring/summer 2021 haute couture, Chanel’s Virginie Viard was inspired by wedding parties and the spirit of family. Explaining her vision for the collection, Chanel’s creative director Viard said in the show notes: "I knew we couldn't organise a big show, that we would have to invent something else, so I came up with the idea of a small...

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Fashion

Christian Dior explores tarot cards for haute couture SS21

Catwalk shows with audiences might be off-limits this Haute Couture season, but that doesn’t mean fashion houses aren’t going big. Christian Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri showcased her spring/summer 2021 collection with a tarot card inspired 15-minute film shot at a Tuscan castle by Italian director Matteo Garrone. Taking inspiration from the tarot...

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Fashion

Haute Couture Week kicks off digitally in Paris

While Covid-19 has forced Haute Couture Week to host digitally for its spring/summer 2021 couture season, the official schedule confirms that 28 houses are set to participate. Haute Couture Week takes place from today, January 25 until January 28 and will feature Chanel, Dior, Giambattista Valli, Giorgio Armani Privé, Iris Van Herpen, Valentino,...

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Fashion

Paris Fashion Week to go digital due to Covid-19

The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode has confirmed that Paris Men’s Fashion Week and Haute Couture Week will still go ahead, however, there will be no invited guests this season due to Covid-19 restrictions in the country. In an e-mail to FashionUnited, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode explained that all shows and...

Fashion

Gaultier postponing Sacai couture collection

With the couture shows now cancelled, Jean Paul Gaultier has had to delay Sacai designer Chitose Abe guest designing his next collection. Abe will now unveil her collection for Gaultier next January during the planned next couture season. Couture Week was one of several Fashion Week's to be cancelled thanks to coronavirus, in addition to Paris...

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Fashion

Paris Men's and Haute Couture Week cancelled

The board of directors of the Fédération de la haute couture et de la Mode have cancelled Paris Men's Fashion Week and Haute Couture Week as coronavirus continues to ground international travel and plague France. Just today, the country's prime minister warned of an extremely high surge in coronavirus cases. Paris upcoming shows cancelled due to...

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Haute couture turns back on fur, both real and fake

Something rather significant was missing from the Paris haute couture shows which wrapped up on Wednesday night -- fur. Beyond the guest appearance of American designer Ralph Rucci, there was none of the luxuriantly sensual mink, fox or sable that for decades defined the autumn winter collections of the elite Paris shows. More significant still,...