HAUTE COUTURE EXHIBITION SHOWS THE ART IN DESIGNING

Anyone remotely interested in design should visit “Paris Haute Couture”, the fascinating exhibition currently on at Paris’ Hotel de Ville (Town Hall).

Highlighting the artistic side of fashion design, the show features more than one hundred items that come from the leading fashion houses of the 20^th century and shows haute couture in all its splendor.

From rough sketches to elaborate gowns, the exhibition also provides insight into the creative and technical processes in designing, and takes visitors into the designers’ imaginative world.

One can follow the path from idea to finished product, meeting the artisans along the way who don’t get to be in the spotlight, but without whom the garments, shoes and other articles couldn't be made.

“Behind the scenes, it takes countless hours of painstakingly precise work by thousands of skilled artisans to make such grand visions a reality,” says Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, in an introduction to the exhibition.

“It is these unsung heroes, as well as the world-famous designers they serve, who have contributed to the development of an industry which has become such an integral part of our city’s identity,” he adds.

Paris hosts more than a hundred catwalk shows every year and is home to 20 haute couture fashion houses. The city also has 7,600 companies working in the fashion sector, and the exhibition evokes this lucrative industry.

But it is the sumptuous and innovative garments that are the real stars of the show. Retracing more than 150 years of fashion, they conjure up both the past and the future with their timelessness.

From gowns by Charles Frederic Worth, considered the father of haute couture, to creations by the eccentric Martin Margiela, the outfits express undeniable artistry. Visitors will want to step into dresses by Channel, Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Balmain and of course Yves Saint Laurent.

Some of the items - such as a burnt topaz double satin dress by John Galliano for Christian Dior, and black suede gloves with gold metal false nails by Elsa Schiaparelli – will make one smile with their daring and playfulness.

“Successive generations of creators have made haute couture an art form in its own right, as rich in meaning and sheer beauty as any of the classical disciplines,” says Delanoë, and visitors will most definitely be inclined to agree.

The items come from the collection of the Musée Galliera, a museum dedicated to fashion but closed for renovation until Autumn of this year.  Entry to the exhibition, which runs until July 6, is free to the public but visitors should be prepared for long lines especially on Saturday. - J.M. DE CLERCQ and L. MCKENZIE

LIE SANG BONG SINGS A MODERN SONG

Ending Paris Fashion week on a youthful, trendy note, Lie Sang Bong showcased geometric designs, gleaming leather, and ultra-modern platform shoes for a memorable show that contrasted with those of his peers.

The Korean designer, who is gaining a following among young fashionistas, stood out from many other designers in that his ready-to-wear collection actually seemed ready to wear. You could go into a store, buy it off the rack, and step out looking casually original.

 

Lie’s Fall/Winter 2013-2014 collection also had a slightly retro aspect as some of the cuts seemed to recall the Sixties.

The pants were straight-legged and ankle-baring, and the platforms looked like they had come off the dance floor from back in the day.

On most of his models, Lie mixed a single, cheeky colour with black or white, all merged into a minimalistic pattern. He finished the look off with some refined Asian touches, and traces of pelt.

Each model wore similar sneaker-platforms, white or black, but with streaks of painted-on colour to match the main piece or to bring it all together. 

The lack of high heels made the models seem confident and comfortable in the outfits, appealing to those who want to look fashionable yet feel relaxed.

The models’ faces had single silver stripes alongside the eyes, corresponding to the hair, shoes and outfit, for an overall unconventional feel.  - J.M. DE CLERCQ and L. MCKENZIE

SHIATZY CHEN SCORES AGAIN WITH VIBRANT EAST-WEST MIX

A fiery red Chen design- 2013

Shiatzy Chen has done it again, setting the standard for colour, elegance and boldness all combined, during Paris Fashion Week.

The show started with cool, catchy French music about the Eiffel tower, but a few seconds later, a Chinese beat entered just as the models began their glide down the catwalk. From the first design of stunning Asian fabrics mixed with a Western cut, oohs and aahs escaped from the audience.

Bright colours such as orange, green, gold, and turquoise were incorporated onto leather, fur and silk, and finished with a lace edging or an ornate brooch.

An all-black piece with dazzling necklace

There was black too, but always with an eye-catching, dazzling accessory  or an audacious necklace. Other times,  the layered outfit was in one colour, such as red, and blended exuberance with grace.

In this Fall/Winter 2013-2014 ready-to-wear collection, designer Chen played with materials and tapestries inspired from the Tang Dynasty – a prosperous period for China lasting for over 300 years – and fitted in Western tailoring, accessories and shoes.

Each creation was always topped off (or bottomed off) with a variety of footwear, including patent-leather knee-high boots, high-heeled lace-up booties, pumps, or peep-toes.

Some of the designs were complemented by a jade and gold brooch in the shape of a stallion, diamond necklaces, or bejewelled clutches. - J.M. DE CLERCQ & L. MCKENZIE

Red Chen one-shoulder dress with bejeweled pin

TURBANS, SEQUINS AND TUNICS: THIS IS MANISH'S WORLD

Arora's 2013-2014 ready-to-wear collection

Along with the movie stars, the outlandishly dressed bloggers and the legions of buyers, Paris Fashion Week stands out increasingly for the number of Asian designers showing their collections.

The latest event, which began on Feb. 26 and ends March 6, features established Japanese designers and rising Korean and Chinese stars, but it is Indian stylist Manish Arora who has had people talking over the past days.

Arora brought his unique brand of effervescence to the runway, with his models strutting to Bollywood music, while wearing lively and playful designs that integrated traditional Indian sytles with a very modern look.. Turbans, scarves and tunics were turned into wearable art in his show.

Arora combines unlikely colours.

Arora, who made his debut here in 2007, was one of about 14 Asian designers showing Fall/Winter 2013-2014 ready-to-wear collections, in an extravaganza that  predictably starred the leading European names of fashion such as Christian Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Givenchy and Nina Ricci, as well as “newer” designers such as Stella McCartney and Paul & Joe.

The renowned Asian fashion houses, including Issey Miyake of Japan, have so far had well-received shows, but it is the younger designers that are now seizing the world stage.

A 2009 Arora creation 

“As a display of Indian craftsmanship, the effects were extraordinary,” veteran fashion reporter Suzy Menkes once wrote of Arora’s collection. “The compressions of bright color and explosion of nature’s butterflies and beasts brought the spirit of exotic India to Paris.”

Arora, 39 years old, spends months working with craftsmen in his studio in New Delhi, and he is determined to dazzle the sometimes bored-looking spectators who converge on these shows.

Back in 2009, he recruited the make-up artist Kabuki to decorate his model’s faces with sequins and symmetric bars of bright hues to add even more excitement to the costumes.

This year, he mixed improbable colours such as pink and yellow and threw in sequins and fur for a look that screamed: “try to top this”.

Arora told Tasshon that he believes that young Asian designers are attracting fans internationally because their work is “very genuine and very creative” in certain ways.

“They want to make a mark in Europe and that’s what makes them try harder,” he said. “At least that’s the situation in my case.” - J.M. DE CLERCQ and L. MCKENZIE

PRIZE SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON TALENTED YOUNG DESIGNERS

Every young designer probably dreams of receiving a huge check from sponsors to boost a fledgling clothing or jewelry line. This month the dream came through for designing duo Annelie Augustin and Odély Teboul (known as Augustin Teboul), who won the second Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize and a check of 30,000 euros in Paris.

The Dorchester Collection is a group of hotels that includes the iconic Plaza Athénée on avenue Montaigne in the French capital, the Hotel Principe de Savoia in Milan, and The Dorchester in London. As the hotels are located in three of the fashion centers of the world, their managers decided that sponsoring fashion would be a good fit for the group.

“We’re very much aware that young designers sometimes struggle at the beginning of their business, and those first years are very important, so we’ve been looking to help these designers, particularly with their first collection,” said Julia Record, director of communications for the Dorchester Collection.

A design by Quentin Veron during the 2012 Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize Competition in Paris

“Hopefully that 30,000-euro check will allow them to take that next step forward and help to provide a global platform,” she added.

Dorchester Collection’s chief executive officer Christopher Cowdray added that the group was “inspired by the creativity coming to the fore.” He said the group was confident that the winners would have a “thriving career.”

The contestants for the prize had to meet certain criteria, the organizers said. They had to have managed their brand for at least two years, they had to be based in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, or Switzerland, and they had to show “original flair, a possibility for commercial distinction as well as reflecting the values of the Dorchester Collection - heritage, craftsmanship, individuality, creativity, and innovation,” Record said.

The five finalists displayed their creations at a catwalk show on prize night, which took place this year at the Plaza Athénée. The luxury hotel dates from 1913 and boasts of having been the favorite hangout of luminaries such as Josephine Baker, Maurice Chevalier, and Christian Dior. The young designers did their best to channel this history.

The loudest applause went to Quentin Veron, a thin, tattooed designer who drew on his fascination with fur, the gangster era, and the Middle Ages to present a striking collection, with models in stockings, hats, and fur vests.

He seemed the front-runner, but after a deliberation period, the judges agreed that the collection displayed by Augustin Teboul best evoked the spirit of “individuality, luxury, style, and craftsmanship, which characterizes Dorchester Collection’s iconic hotels.” The duo’s work also demonstrated critical distinction and the potential for future commercial success, the organizers said.

“It’s been a really great competition,” Veron said. “The other designers were really good too, so it has been very interesting. Even though I didn’t win, I’m of course going to continue my work.”

As well as receiving an engraved Baccarat crystal trophy, the winners will be able to stay at a Dorchester Collection property in either Paris or Milan during spring Fashion Week 2013.

Ranging from classic outfits to an edgy gangster look, the collections delighted spectators and the panel of judges that included Elizabeth Saltzman, contributing editor to Vanity Fair; Kenzo Takada, founder of Kenzo; and Nathalie Rykiel, CEO of Sonia Rykiel.