Fashion notes: Paris haute couture is a masterpiece

There’s something magical about haute couture. It’s ageless and limitless, encompassing the fairy-tale ball gowns from our most beautiful fantasies, and the shrouded black guises of our most vivid nightmares.

It’s a time to celebrate intricate fabrics, swanky embellishments and innovative techniques. The designs may be one-of-a-kind and outrageously unaffordable, but what less can you expect from haute couture? Though the autumn/winter 2015 Paris haute couture fashion week opened with some uncertainties, it ended on an optimistic high, our appetites satiated with a seasonal dose of delectable couture.

With the multiplicity of birdcage corsets and bandage-like drapes across chests, Versace’s collection of gowns was more suited to rebellious teen proms and MTV sweet-16 parties than Parisian runways.

The looks were pulled farther into the realm of the juvenile with hair falling in loose, music festival-like waves, girdled by floral wreath headbands. On a brighter note the textiles were gorgeous. Beadwork, metallic chains and sequinned ropes were wrapped into chiffons that were frayed at the hems, giving a grungy, deconstructed feel to a collection sure to be lapped up by the likes of Taylor Swift.

From there, the week only got better, starting with the elegant fluidity shown in the sheer but somehow-not-vulgar designs at Dior. Dresses that could have looked like aged negligees piqued enthusiastic curiosity, while other designs were applauded for striking a rare balance between sultry and conservative. There were also lots of caped coats, with some featuring interesting, intentional oddities. The showstoppers at Giambattista Valli were a lilac tulle gown topped with bright orange three-dimensional flowers, and whimsical tulle skirts with trails, paired with tops of a more boxy nature.

Floral gowns and shift dresses featuring dropped waists, embellished floral vines and feather fringing were paired with tapered pants, while the rest of the collection brought together dreamy cutouts and textures, oriental inspirations and peppy pink and black colour combinations. In typical Elie Saab fashion, icy blues, pistachio greens and pale pinks were embroidered and embellished to create stunning goddess-like gowns, princess dresses and caped jumpsuits.

Fur accents gave a quirky pop, appearing on box clutches and lining the sides of dress bodices. The Cruella de Vils of the world were likely enamoured with Lagerfeld’s haute couture collection for Fendi, which was all about fur – in black, white, grey and even peach. Though styles were impeccable, aside from the occasional leather legging or jacquard kimono-like coat, the textile theme was a bit too repetitive for my liking.

Talent and vision were displayed at Viktor & Rolf, where the show started with 70s-style denim blouses skirted in structured white linens. Soon, it became apparent that models were being clothed in canvas paintings, gold framing included. Forget wearable art – they were wearable masterpieces, making the overall presentation the best part of haute couture fashion week, certainly trumping Kendall Jenner’s white pantsuit bridal finale for Chanel.

hlodi@thenational.ae