Exclusiveness. The measure. Garments made by hand and with little use of the sewing machine. Luxury materials hand-stitched carefully for a perfect finish. Costurers who develop new techniques that take a long time.
That is why it is said that Haute Couture pieces are priceless. The development of these bespoke designs is known worldwide and only a few privileged can afford. It is an exclusive design, made with the highest quality materials that will adapt to every inch of your body. Undoubtedly, Haute Couture is the dream of every woman.
Catherine Riviere is in charge of directing the Haute Couture of the house Dior. She controls the entire process, from being manufactured until the customer buys it. Her function is mainly to ensure that the house maintains the tradition but adapting to the modern. She does not talk about prices. She says that the price of a Haute Couture garment should only matter to the client who is going to buy the garment and that if she then wants to say what it has cost, say it. Despite not wanting to talk about prices, she gives a clue: from 40,000 €. However, a piece of what we know as prêt-à-porter, would cost us approximately 8,000 €.
But many will ask: What´s the difference between Haute Couture and prêt-à-porter? The materials used. But above all, the hours. Many will think that we talk about expensive clothes. And it is true. But it is what they cost. They may be working on a dress for a whole year, counting on the manufacture of the materials, the measurements of the client and the work of the seamstresses. It is a work of art, a way of being and thinking. It is something unique and extraordinary that will have only an individual experience. And that’s where the difference is made.
Prêt-à-porter (ready to wear) garments, would be the ones that are made, unlike the Haute Couture, with a certain pattern and with which they work according to the demand of the product. We could say that they are the clothes we usually wear on a daily basis (although some people can afford wear Haute Couture daily).
Not all luxury brands that most of us know work with Haute Couture garments. In fact, there is an union in which you must meet some guidelines to be part of this select club.
1. The first rule is that the house must design the client an exclusive piece and totally tailored, with one or more tests until the garment is perfect.
2. The second rule talks about the membership of a workshop or studio that is located in Paris and has at least 20 employees working full time.
3. The third but not least is that each season must present to the public a collection of at least 50 new designs of the brand.
All the houses that make Haute Couture, also make prêt-à-porter. In addition, the latest is the one that gives more income to the brands. It’s what sells the most and it takes less time to make it.
The official members of Haute Couture are: Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Stephane Rolland and Giambattista Valli. In addition, foreign members include Elie Saab and Versace.
During the 20th century Haute Couture suffered a significant decline. From 106 homes in 1946 to only 18 in 2000, reducing to only 9 in 2004 (Versace, Dior, Chanel, Valentino, Lacroix, Gaultier, Givenchy …).
Tag: paris
Versailles fashion Show
“Fashion is the history of a tissue.”
-Eleonor Lambert
The distance between continents was reduced. That night meant a change in culture. In fashion. People were looking for surprise, it was like playing a game. It was the turning point that changed everything. That night of 1973 fashion saved a palace in ruins, the Palace of Versailles.
Eleonor Lambert was the precursor of all this night. We could say that she was the true creator of fashion. In the 40s she was a publicist and started to make the lists that today we know as Top Tens of the best dresses. Without doubt, it was the Ana Wintour of the time. And also, a formidable organizer.
Everything arose with the ideal motive: the Palace of Versailles. An idea that originated in order to raise funds to be able to reform it. And why not, also with the reason to join two continents that despite their differences, had many more things in common than they thought: among them, the exquisite taste for fashion. To create beauty in any of its forms.
A runaway and a dinner. New York and Paris. Both involved in a context in which everything was allowed. The first homosexual movements, feminism. People of color are already on TV. Creativity was undoubtedly booming and people could not care less. Quite the opposite: it was what they were looking for. And the sexual and artistic freedom of the time pushed much to the creation of new designs that represented the free women.
Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, Pierre Cardin and Emanuel Hungaro went on the night of November 28th to present their designs of Parisian Haute couture. The New York side was represented by designers Stephen Burrows, Anne Klein, Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta and Halston.
At that time France was the pioneer of fashion par excellence. They rehearsed in the mornings while the Americans had to settle for the nights. The fashion event of the year had an anecdote. Halston, one of the North American designers, outdid others and knew it. He had a natural elegance but a great ego. Everyone was knocking at his door and he was a marketing genius. In the short time New Yorkers had to rehearse their runaways, time was running out and Halston saw that he was not going to be able to prepare his runaway. He picked up the door and went away angry, leaving the rest of the team to manage as he was because he was not going to participate in this. However, the next day it appeared as if nothing had happened.
Runaway begins. French were very chic and their sets were fantastic. It was a very French runaway, very elaborate but very complex. There was too much movement and it was very pretentious. Especially emphasized Josephine Baker, that paraded with great feathers in the head and made a spectacular interpretation.
The decorations were made of wood from the 17th century. There was everything and those present were amazed at what they saw: a rhinoceros pulling a cart. A pumpkin carriage (Dior), reindeer and many bright things. These were among other things that they could appreciate in the 2 hours and a half that lasted the parade. However, there were so many mixed ideas that the attendees were left with the feeling that it had been a bit ridiculous. Most do not remember the clothes that were exposed that night.
Nervous and excited the 42 North American models that paraded in Versailles, were set in motion. And the color exploded.
Stephen Burrows, the only designer still alive from that night, revolutionized the runway with his stunning African-American models. They radiated beauty everywhere. An innovative element, since most of the models that used to parade were of white complexion. If we join it to the burst of color of the clothes of Burrows, the parade left open mouth to more than one.
The entire North American show was wrapped in a Broadway musical. It gave energy with its designs, with its music. It was like a breath of fresh air that the French loved. For more information, it all culminated in the perfect and fabulous performance of Liza Minelli. It was only 37 minutes of show in which the Parisians felt absolute admiration for the runaway of the Americans. And the first to stand was Princess Grazia of Monaco.
At the end of the shows, those present gathered for dinner. But they could not begin, someone was missing. –Where is Eleonor Lambert? We can not start without it!-Someone said. And there she was, sending a press release in which he commented that the American runaway had been a success.
An experience that all those who were on that night of November 28, 1973 still remember and will not forget. Because the models began to have more opportunities; Because Paris realized that it needed to be renewed; Because New York took a giant leap; Because the African American triumphed; And last but not least:
Because they rescued Versailles.
Hedi Slimane: from his inception to his last tweets
“Nobody has achieved notoriety and relevance like Slimane with exclusively male designs”
– El País
Born in Paris in 1968, he studied art history at the Academy of Louvre. He is also a photographer and has always been linked to the world of music, enough to be the designer of groups like The Strokes or Babyshambles began working in the fashion world with brands like Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent (already in the year 1997), and so in 2000 Christian Dior opens its doors to become the creative director of Dior Homme.
Hedi Slimane managed to create a new aesthetic for man silhouettes by the use of skinny pants (trend already marked by Raf Simons, the new creative director of Calvin Klein) and some androgynous designs. They even say that Karl Lagerfeld lost 30 kilos to wear one of his designs. With his new creations, the designer revives for seven years a new trend in the predominantly black and white and the definition of the silhouette of men.
In 2007 the designer leaves Dior Homme to exploit his own designs out of the brand. Later, in 2012 he became creative director of Yves Saint Laurent, and with its entrance just renamed Saint Laurent. Its name changed to differentiate the brand in Haute Couture and ready-to-wear, and it was a way to relive the golden age of Saint Laurent in the 60s.
Recently, in April of this year, Slimane is replaced by Anthony Vacarrello. His departure is still very controversial after his last tweets posted on the social network because it is said that lash out against the Yves Saint Laurent brand and criticizing the absence of “Yves” during his leadership.
To this, the designer has defended several arguments, such as that during his legacy, bags still retained the “Y”, in the parade of 2015 threw confetti with the three initials of the famous logo and even create a line jewelry with more than 100 charms in which “YSL” was included.
And now is added the dispute that has the designer with the brand, a dispute which reaches 13 million dollars. The debt comes from the beginning of Slimane in the brand, in which the non-competition clause is not signed: this clause prevents you from working for a year with strong competition, and at the time seemed right to Hedi. Now the designer and photographer has sued them because he wants to sign the clause and remain during one more year Yves Saint Laurent receiving the same salary he would receive if he were really working for the firm.
The gossips say that is one of the candidates to replace Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel. But we would have to wait one more year (or more). What would happend? Only time will tell us.
Thierry Mugler: the inspiration for Lady Gaga designs
Well, it’s all about looking good, helping the silhouette…and all about getting a great fuck, honey.
-Thierry Mugler
Thierry Mugler was born in Strasbourg (France) in 1948 and was one of the most popular designers of the 80s.
He left his job as a dancer to engage in the world of fashion and coinciding with the rise of Yves Saint Laurent, start designing. So in 1973 he presented his first women’s collection and after its success founded his own brand.
He managed to mark a before and after in the runaways with Claude Montana and Jean Paul Gaultier, returning the glamorous to the Parisian catwalks.
His designs were based on the comic, science fiction or zoology and through these factors make their catwalks a show, being one of the forerunners of fashion shoulder pads. The crow and the vinyl were their main allies and has been criticized for using in his designs because it looked so misogynistic and fetishistic.
He wanted his shows to be perfect, so he was the responsible for carrying the lighting and styling of his own parades.
With the end of the twentieth century, it begins the era of minimalism and that is how the aesthetics of Mugler got into decline, confirming his retirement in 2002. In 2003 he began to devote himself to the staging of shows, from choreography to costume for special effects.
Still, the brand continues mainly with the line of perfumes (property of Clarins brand, one of its main sources of income). Artists like Beyoncé or Lady Gaga are fortunate to bring some of his designs, especially Gaga. Nicola Formichetti is the Italo-Japanese designer and stylist who dressed the singer with Mugler designs. Therefore he proposed to Mugler be the new creative director of the brand to revive it. It was only with the brand a couple of years, until finally was signed by the company Diesel.
Right now, the creative director of the brand is David Koma, retaining some of the essence of Mugler designs but being more discreet.
Rihanna's new collection is inspired in Marie Antoinette
If Maria Antonieta went to the gym and needed something to wear
-Rihanna
Paris, the city of love, was in charge of receiving the new collection of Rihanna “Fenty x Puma“. According to the singer, this city represented much better the new collection that New York.
Since 2014 Rihanna is the creative director of Puma and since she is in the firm, Puma sales have grown much more. The singer and designer do not create sport clothes but they are creations to bring in the day a day and that’s the key.
Her last collection includes items of a single color, with predominantly for example pastel pink, khaki green, lilac or skin color. We can thus find hats, dresses, sweat shirts, hoods and even corsets with vintage accessories and charged makeup, which were exhibited in the luxurious palace Salomon de Rothschild in Paris. The majority of the collection is designed for women but we could also appreciate some designs exclusively for men, and the tissues chosen by Rihanna were not particularly focused on making sport: for example, satin.
In addition to good singer, we have seen that at the moment Rihanna experience in the fashion world has been pretty good. He has collaborated with the major shoe designer Manolo Blahnik or with the prestigious fashion company Dior, and her success after the first collection made for Puma has opened the way to be an important benchmark in young fashion.
We have no doubt that Rihanna will surprise us soon with more of her designs and that as before, we´ll fall in love as much as their latest interventions in the world of fashion.
Chanel runway: Futuristic and with new technologies
So Chanel has managed to approach a younger audience: through futuristic and new technologies.
For some time now, we are in the millenial generation, obsessed with fashion brands and fashion around the world, every moment, every brand. It is therefore no wonder that Chanel has decided to set its runaway alluding to this generation that is sweeping wherever he goes. Attached to it, the scenery was stunning and was based on Big data, which has made the Grand Palais in Paris became for a few minutes in a total space atmosphere.
With this scenery we´re not talking about made a critic to the world of the digital, but they have tried to venture into these new generations without us realizing it. His designs have been the most representative of the brand: the legendary bag 2.55 or two-piece tweed. However, the clothes were wrapped by LED lights, colored wires and cathode ray tubes and also show off a futuristic models with masks simulating robots with a very similar Star-Wars aesthetics. Next to them, a renewal of footwear that Karl Lagerfeld wanted to do with the classic signature bicolor shoes and white flat shoes.
In addition, one of the details of this runaway is that we can see how all the models look a cap sideways and backwards, a new look that we have already seen in many of the millennials at the moment and that is winning (and so it seems to continue triumphing up within a couple of years).
No doubt this is how Chanel has managed us to fall in love again with their amazing designs and in this case also with a start scene worthy of admiration, although fashion doesn´t understand about ages.
Kim Kardashian stolen in Paris
Five masked men were the protagonists of the altercation. Armed, they have broken into the room of Kanye West’s wife (who was staying there on the occasion of the Paris Fashion Week) to take many of her jewelry and personal items, hovering a figure of around 10 million euros.
Kim apparently was in the bathroom when the thieves entered, and fortunately, their children North and Saint were not in the room. Her spokeswoman, Ina Treciokas, has informed to the CNN that is without any physical damage, but obviously emotional damages are much higher and Kim is not well.
Her husband Kanye West, was giving a concert at Festival Meadows (New York) while Kim was being stolen. Upon hearing the news, he had to stop the show and report that was absent for “family reasons”.
Undoubtedly one of the most difficult weeks of the West-Kardashian, because remember that last week the famous, Vitalii Sediuk, tried to kiss the ass of Kim Kardashian, but was caught before he could do so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI7cp3WA9IM
One of the most expected shows: Yves Saint Laurent
After the farewell signature Hedi Slimane, Yves Saint Laurent was one of the most expected shows of fashion week in Paris with its new creative director Anthony Vaccarello, who was former creative director of VERSUS. The new position of Vacarello is one of the reasons why he closed his firm concentrating only on discovering who would be the new Saint Laurent´s girl .”She’s Certainly not bourgeois or classic,” Said Vaccarello. “She has a huge respect for Saint Laurent, but not in the first degree. So I thought of her taking a vintage dress and cutting into it. ”
With the signature symbol with neon lights, Yves Saint Laurent welcomed guests
The first model to appear on the catwalk wearing a leather corset dress with wide curved shoulders and a skirt to the thigh, leaving stunned all spectators who enjoyed the parade under a beautiful stone arch.
It was based on the 80 in which the designer was bold and brash, focusing on clothes for a night out. We could see the precise and delicate designer suits V-shaped neck reaching to the waist and breasts with transparency in black chiffon garments.
Costumes all in one, leopard, tuxedos, leather uniforms and denim, ideal for work, using many of the key elements that had already settled Hedi Slimane at Yves Saint Laurent.
Here you can see a short video posted on Suzy Menkes desfileTambién can see the photos of the whole parade.