The whimsical, whimsical and wonderful Haute Couture of Paris Fashion Week

Four days of the fashion world’s top designers showcasing their most extravagant designs are over, with flowers, balloons and live horses on display on the Haute Couture runways.

Dior’s line by Maria Grazia Chiuri kicked off this week for the fall/winter 2022-23 collection with a simple and elegant design.

The stage set was created by Ukrainian artist Olesia Trofymenko, with a collection featuring everything the average person could expect from a Haute Couture.

A model wears a gray and blue embroidered jacket and pants with a white shirt.
Dior started the fashion week with a simple yet elegant runway.(AP: Michel Euler)

Some describe the Iris van Herpen collection as “futuristic” and like from “Marvel Movies”: They weren’t wrong.

The show, entitled “Meta Morphism”, is also a milestone for the award-winning couturier, marking the 15th anniversary of its namesake fashion design house.

Three models wear couture from Iris van Herpen.
Winnie Harlow stars as one of the models in collections such as Marvel. (AP: Michel Euler)

It may have been Iris van Herpen’s birthday but Giambattista Valli brought balloons.

In fact, they have so many balloons that it would be easy to mistake the brightly colored runway for a seven year old’s birthday.

Two models in two pink dresses in front of a balloon arch.
Yes balloons!(AP: Lewis Joly)
A model in a white dress with a pink ribbon in front of a balloon arch with three models in the background.
So many balloons.(AP: Lewis Joly)

On the Elsa Schiaparelli runway, she asked the age-old question: How do I get my partner to buy me flowers?

The answer is simple: No, be the wreath itself, in her collection entitled “Shocking! Elsa Schiaparelli’s Surreal World”.

A model wears a shirt made of pink flowers as high as her head.
Be the bouquet you always knew you could be. (AP: Lewis Joly)
A model wearing a wide hat with a shirt covered in flowers.
Must-have item this season: flowers. (AP: Lewis Joly)

The second day Chanel treated audiences to more dangerous shows, forcing models to walk down the stairs in the name of fashion because walking in heels wasn’t dangerous enough.

Five models walk down the stairs floating above the audience.
The model on the Chanel show, trying to be careful not to fall down the stairs. (AP: Michel Euler)

Alexis Mabille also got a memo about being the flower you want to be.

[Picture: Mabille]

Giorgio Armani ended the day with his favorite early 2000s blue-light disco combination: a dress over pants.

This couture season, the Italian fashion legend wants to “make new space for sparkle and frivolity”, inspired by the universe of Polish Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka.

A model wears a pink dress over shiny black pants.
Dresses over pants appeared in the Armani collection. (AP: Lewis Joly)
A model wears a blue sequin dress over shiny black pants.
Armani wanted to “give a new space to sparkle”. (AP: Lewis Joly )

The third day brought some interesting designs from the Olivier Rousteing collection from Balmain for Jean Paul Gaultier.

Rousteing asked the model to wear a conical maternity bra in black and flesh, a nod to support lesbians who have medically assisted reproduction, something the French parliament allowed last year.

Two models wearing dresses that show pregnant belly.
The look of a conical maternity bra has a touching meaning. (AP: Michel Euler)
A model wears a white shirt, black tie, and a black shirt as pants.
The rest of the items are more of a tongue-in-cheek fashion homage to Jean Paul Gaultier.(AP: Michel Euler)

The Elie Saab collection appears to be from a fantasy film, featuring pastel colors and glittery dresses that the designer is famous for.

A model is wearing a pastel blue dress with puffy sleeves.
The collection was described as “supernatural”.(AP: Michel Euler)

Franck Sorbier took the runway outside, added some power and unicycles and gave us permission to take off our high heels in the name of fashion.

A trainer on a horse in a red dress, a second model in a red dress leads another horse.
The horse is the new model. (AP: Lewis Joly)
A model in a sparkly dress holds a pair of high heels.
Loose shoes are now fashionable. (AP: Lewis Joly)

The final day of Haute Couture made Fendi by Kim Jones want to “get away from Rome” with creations that drift between eras, cities, memories and cultures, starting in Japan.

A row of models walking on the all-white catwalk.
The Fendi Couture collection draws inspiration from around the world. (AP: Michel Euler)

One of the last shows was Yuima Nakazato’s fall show, aptly titled “BLUE”.

The design emerges from the distant Star Trek planet in an abstract blue blob that the model travels through.

Nakazato’s work revolves around technology, and the house says he uses non-gender creations to “explore the future of clothing”.

A model wearing a blue furry outfit.
Nakazato’s design is like something from a distant planet. (AP: Michel Euler)
A model wearing a blue dress with an attractive shape.
Nakazato describes his work as exploring the “future of clothing.” (AP: Michel Euler)

Day four concludes Haute Couture week, the ancient Parisian tradition of producing clothes at exorbitant prices and made to size for the world’s richest people.

Designers return to fashion week in September for their Summer/Spring collection.

ABC/AP

Posted , updated

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