New contaminations

The keyword is: luxury. In ateliers where absolutely exquisite fabrics are  cut,  where  the  most  extraordinary  materials  are  assembled, from rhinestones to feathers, where embroideries with thousands of beads and sequins are made with infinite skill and love, is where the enchantment takes place. High fashion dresses are exclusive pieces that are also adapted to the needs of the client. Things here are very far from prêt-à-porter collections that flirt with “here and now” trends for everyday clothing. Creators instead can digress from dream projects and fashion dresses with incredible craftsmanship, without  limits  in  budgets.  And  it  is  because  of  this  absolute freedom that Haute Couture collections influence prêt-a-porter, subtly but inevitably and, vice versa, in a continuous interaction. A contamination with very interesting aspects. A T-shirt can appear under a jacket, or rather “the jacket”, with an impeccable cut in a very luxurious material. A brocade duster can accompany a pair of jeans playing down the concept of couture, without betraying it, like Bermuda shorts in coconut fabric and dizzying thigh-high boots. If high fashion chooses tulle, a euphoria of layers for micro and macro skirts will emerge in prêt-à-porter. If it loves lace in all its versions, prêt-à-porter will adopt it without discretion. If feathers are mentioned, we’ll find them as decorations. The atelier is for experimenting. If it’s possible to reach, then perfection is sought, in every aspect. The chromatic combinations in haute couture are famous, even when it comes to the history of costume, which seems surprising, but it’s actually the result of research that especially extends across the art world, a combination that is often impossible. Even the locations chosen for presentations have their own intrinsic reason, which is synonymous with the clothing that will show on the catwalk. So, the Grand Palais is transformed into a garden and hosts the Chanel collection, romantic and sometimes nostalgic, just like the setting. The halls of Hotel Salomon de Rothschild become a huge comfortable sitting room for Maison Valentino, where you can relax and select your favorite creations, while the quiet rooms of the Ritz welcome unique valuable jewels, even if at times they desire to shroud them by skillful expertise.

Sonia Perfetti

photo  backstage   Alexandre Vauthier

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