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| Kithe Brewster design. |
On some of the hottest
days of the year so far, designers increased the temperature with intense
originality, taking spectators both back in time and into the future during Paris Haute
Couture week.
The uncommon venues used
for the July 1-to-5 shows - such as the venerable American Cathedral in the city's chic 8th arrondissement - contributed to the heat, as lack of air conditioning and perhaps internal discomfort caused spectators to fan themselves, while admiring the clothing.
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| Brewster's "art of draping". |
Still, Paris-based
American designer Kithe Brewster utilised the church space to good effect for his
Autumn-Winter 2018-19 collection, which drew inspiration from first-century
Rome, with “emphasis on the art of draping”.
The show, his first
couture event, began with a ballet piece featuring a pair of dancers leaping
down the aisle against the backdrop of stained glass windows. As other dancers
- muscular and male - joined them in the altar area, the models began strutting
down the church “runway”, and one couldn’t help wondering what a regular
congregation might have made of the show.
Several of the
“romanesque” gowns might actually be seen again in church at weddings, with their striking fabrics of silk and wool crepe, adorned with sequins. Brewster
employed a range of rich colors, too, including red, fuchsia, black and gold,
which reflected his background in show business; he has worked as a stylist
with artists such as singer Beyoncé, rapper Eve and the group Bewitched.
The designs met an
enthusiastic reception and fans later rushed backstage to compliment a
perspiring Brewster. “Excuse me for the sweat,” the designer told one
aficionada, as he posed with her for the requisite selfie.
LIU CHAO AND ANTONIO ORTEGA
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| Liu Chao |
Chinese designer Liu Chao
and Mexican-Canadian stylist Antonio Ortega also presented their collections at
the same venue, with Chao evoking a kind of Darth-Vader universe, with dark
colours and dramatic, discordant music, while Ortega went for a playful yet
elegant vibe.
As a spectator remarked,
Chao’s designs “totally fit the setting”, with their futuristic feel and the
echoes of other-worldliness, amidst the warmth. The emphasis on black - with tassels, studs and
intriguing headgear - emitted youthful energy and edginess as well.
A similar, modern dynamism
came from Ortega. He decorated the entrance to the show with bright-yellow posters bearing the words “be
yourself”, and told his cast of models (including his two adopted children) to
enjoy the garments.
Their joyousness and smiles became infective as they
swaggered down the aisle wearing vibrant pink and yellow ensembles, and, at the
end, spectacular peacock feathers.
“It was an interesting
collection,” one spectator noted. “I really liked the playfulness.”
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| Antonio Ortega |
For his part, Ortega told Tasshon that he took inspiration from his own multi-cultural
background.
“Multiculturalism is with
us, and it’s a part of my brand and my soul,” he said. “When I travel, I see
how mixed everything is - peacocks walking around in urban areas in India, for
instance. That inspires me.”
His show, titled “Forms
and Urban Desires” equally incorporated Art Nouveau elements, as the designer
used reflective materials to give a “nod to a cityscape populated by glass and
steel towers” and chose fabrics such as silk, tulle, lurex and cashmere to evoke
both the curves and straight lines of towns.
CELIA KRITHARIOTI
Later the same day, Greek designer Celia
Kritharioti paid homage to her mother through a
breath-taking collection of superbly crafted dresses and gowns.
The show started with her
voice relating a memory: “The first time I visited Paris, I was with my mother.
I was a little girl and I was holding her hand as we entered all the fashion
houses during Couture Week … My mother loved black, pearls and Paris, as much as
she did Greece.”
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| Celia Kritharioti - ready to soar. |
The collection put the
spotlight on black for elegance, mixing the colour with gold before moving to
ivory and finally a magnificent white gown with huge feathers. This was all set to live
music from the talented soprano Christina Poulitsi, and took place in the ornate rooms of
the Mona Bismarck townhouse - a centre for art and cultural events along the river Seine.
The models included
Russian star Natalya Vodianova, wearing Chantilly lace, silk tulle, and velvet,
among other fabrics, with intricate embroidery and pearls. Spiky black headdresses and lace leggings added to the overall aesthetics.
“We are in Paris again,”
said Kritharioti, referring to her mother. “I have left her hand and walk
alone. At every one of my shows, my gaze searches for her in the audience,
though I know that she too, is looking at me from backstage, by my side.”
GALIA LAHAV
Russian-born designer Galia
Lahav also had her partner - Sharon Sever - by her side for their
collection titled “And God Created Woman”. The emphasis here was on femininity
with pastels inspired by the seaside and by Monet’s impressionism.
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| Galia Lahav |
Floral
chiffon prints meanwhile came from Sever’s own watercolour artwork, and the yellows drew attention as Bill Wither's "Ain't No Sunshine" played over the speakers.
The “flirtatious and free”
creations also used emerald green, denim blue and ice pink for vibrant dresses,
jumpsuits and tops.
All the designs made for a grand spectacle in the high-ceilinged, historic setting of the Université René Descartes, in the sixth
arrondissement. An off-the-shoulder gown in layers of silvery grey lace and a
vibrant concoction in pink elicited gasps of appreciation for a brand renowned for its lavish, luxurious gowns.
“These clothes are hot.
They really appeal to my inner duchess,” said a 70-year-old American spectator,
walking out into the bright sunlight to a glass of chilled champagne served in the courtyard, after the défilé
The heatwave would continue
for a few more shows. - Tasshon
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| Galia Lahav |
