The Best of this Week's Couture!

Kristine Kilty works pretty much exclusively in the rarefied world of Parisian haute couture when it comes to her work as a fashion creative director. Her view on the best of this week's couture in Paris comes with a deep understanding of the workmanship and artistry involved in every piece, and, of course, the needs of the individual couture client who needs unique looks made for their body shape. These are fabulous clothes for the 0.1% after all. So what will she be recommending to clients, and why?

This Best of this Week's Couture!

#1 VALENTINO

Valentino's Couture has consistently been one of my favourite shows each season. The collections are beautiful, designed for the modern woman who adores wearing a statement dress as much as she loves to rock a pair of jeans with heels. The look that instantly caught my eye is this exquisite white and green printed gown with plunging neckline and floor length skirt. It’s simplicity exudes a confident relaxed elegance. The gown has a lot of red carpet appeal, equally I can see it been worn at a fabulous beach party in Ibiza or St Tropez.

For the catwalk the gown has been teamed with earrings  that dangle to the collar bone, consisting of complimentary white and green crystals.  I think it would also look great styled with one bold statement cuff. 

The Best of this Week's Couture!

#2 SCHIAPARELLI

The Schiaparelli show created by Daniel Roseberry and his talented atelier of artisans was a sculptural fest!  Roseberry has really hit his stride at the house and each season it is a thrill to see the combinations of extraordinary silhouettes, intricate corsetry and innovative textiles. This season the designer’s inspiration came from reinterpreting essentials from a woman’s wardrobe, such as a white shirt, knitwear, and a puffer jacket.  However,  Roseberry created a surrealist and spontaneous interpretation which he called the “impossible wardrobe”. 

The opening look is one of my favourites from the AW 23 show. While it is one of the most simple looks from the collection, the ingenuity required to create the asymmetrical wave skirt and accompanying black woollen jacket with white poplin inserts, is exceptional. The conceptual flared sleeves display a magical mastery of pattern cutting and construction. I loved the styling with a simple black headband and gold molded earring. 

This Best of this Week's Couture!

#3 IRIS VAN HERPEN

Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen returned to Paris this season after a short hiatus from physical shows. Known for her otherworldly creations, for her AW23 couture show, the designer looked to visionary architect and oceanographer, Jacques Rougerie, for inspiration. With a key focus on aquatic urbanism, particularly the Oceanix project in South Korea, the collection demonstrates couture techniques that merge the essence of fashion and floating architecture. 

I absolutely adore the pleated metallic gold dress, as it really encapsulates the feeling of being underwater. Styled with a futuristic headpiece by House of Malakai, the overall look is a perfect balance between sculpture and softness. I have used a lot of Iris Van Herpen’s innovative pieces in photo shoots and one element that I love is the fibreglass rods used in each garment’s construction, which allow the dresses to be lightweight and move with fluidity. 

This Best of this Week's Couture!

#4 ZUHAIR MURAD

The Zuhair Murad show was a surprise as the designer stepped away from vivid colour, which he is known for, and embraced the elegance of black and white. The mystery of starry nights and the realms between dreams and reality were at the forefront of the designers mind when he created the elegant collection. 

The first look signalled the dramatic entrance of the ‘Queen of the Night’. For me this look encapsulates high octane glamour with gothic romance. The intricate black lace bodysuit is a beautiful contrast to the layers of white draped silk that flow around and shroud the body. 

I usually associate Murad with extravagant embellishment, however for this look, and throughout the collection, the cascading macabre rose was used as a decorative symbol of romance and tragedy. I particularly loved the styling with black satin opera length gloves as they add an aspect of 1940’s Hollywood glamour to the mysterious gothic look. This gown has Cannes Film Festival red carpet written all over it!

This Best of this Week's Couture!

#5 CHARLES DE VILMORIN

Twenty-six year old Charles De Vilmorin’s debut collection signals a fresh, youthful and gender fluid approach to the artistry of haute couture. Following his departure from Rochas, after two years at the house, it was exciting to see this exciting young designer added to the official schedule of the Paris couture. De Vilmorin presented a beautiful unisex collection that is a visual depiction of fear, momentum, and the freedom that comes from the pressure of creating. 

The look that resonated with me most is the oversized kimono-style coat. The printed artwork details the battle between the horse and the swan. Fantastic to see the look showcased on a male model, because, as the designer rightly point out, "In real life, there are a lot of men who wear haute couture. It's not a desire to do things differently, it's sort of normal -- it's extremely natural for me." De Vilmorin is a designer I will be keeping my eye on, he has a bright future.