Dear Shaded Viewers,
Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris has concluded, and amidst the many collections, I found the Balenciaga Haute Couture Show particularly thought-provoking. It diverged significantly from previous collections, sparking a dialogue about the essence of couture, its clientele, and its defining characteristics. The show notes revealed that the collection paid homage to subculture dress codes, a staple of Demna’s fashion vocabulary. Demna stated, “I chose four permanent components of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s last two decades of collections and applied them to my design aesthetic to create a bridge between Balenciaga’s signature elegance and silhouette and my personal style.”
The collection featured distinctive codes: three-quarter length sleeves, a focus on silhouette profiles and cocoon shapes, extravagant headwear, and innovative fabrics. A playful t-shirt draped over saucer-shaped headwear blended humour with high fashion. The finale took couture to an extreme with a dress designed for a single wear, emphasizing the ephemeral nature of fashion.
For those unfamiliar with the criteria to be deemed Haute Couture in Paris, they are as follows:
- Maintain an atelier in Paris with at least 15 full-time staff members.
- Employ at least 20 full-time technical workers in one workshop.
- Create made-to-order clothing for private clients, with one or more fittings.
- Present at least 50 original designs twice a year during the haute couture shows in January and July.
- The term “haute couture” is legally protected, and only brands approved by the FHCM can use this designation.
Demna’s decision to showcase only one couture collection annually has stirred some controversy within the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. However, this approach allows him more time for fabric research, artisan craftsmanship, and design refinement. Much like Cristóbal Balenciaga, who also challenged industry norms, Demna is both a disruptor and a visionary.
His innovative designs include:
- Everyday garments lined in silk scuba satin to enhance cocoon-like shapes.
- Jackets engineered to integrate with trousers, forming a single garment.
- T-shirts with oil hand-painted drawings.
- A faux fur coat made of synthetic hair, shaped and hand-dyed over 2.5 months.
- A maxi goth dress crafted in knitwear embroidery with black upcycled glass beads.
Additionally, Demna upcycles and reconstructs various garments and accessories into unique pieces like bustier and draped body-conscious gowns, and an all-you-can-wear bell-shaped ball dress. Noteworthy creations include:
- A white column dress made from melted plastic bags.
- A black leather dress without cut edges, held together by a giant safety pin.
- Aluminium foil molded around the body.
- Tiny strips of fake fur sewn in a herringbone pattern, an ancient technique adapted for modern use, taking 7.5 weeks to complete.
One exceptional piece is a molded, seamless second-skin dress of deep black flocked leather, serving as a wearable jewelry display. This dress features an archival Cristóbal Balenciaga necklace from 1960, reflecting Demna’s appreciation for irony.
The show’s finale featured a dress assembled from 47 meters of fabric, constructed directly on the body in a choreographed process before the show, intended for one-time wear. If ordered, the atelier team would replicate this process for the client, wrapping them in the one-time-use black nylon dress.
Demna remains a pioneering force in Haute Couture, acknowledging the need for innovation in a changing world.
Later,
Diane
CREDITS:
- Hand Painting: Abdelhak Benallou
- Synthetic Hair Faux Fur Coat: Gary Gill, Tasos Constantinou
- Headwear: Ni Hao, Alastair Gibson, Yumi Okita
