Guo Pei's haute couture show beneath the soaring medieval stone arches of a Parisian Gothic palace. Cover picture and all photographs by Elli Ioannou. Tap photos for full-screen slideshow
If haute couture is about imagination, fantasy and exploring the realms between fashion, art and theatre, Guo Pei's ebullient show in Paris embodied it all. Her opulent collection made a strong contrast to Paris Couture Week's other often pragmatic presentations that were more like ready-to-wear. Instead, the diminutive couturier created an enthralling collection held in a French Gothic palace imbued with a richness and magic that only two years work and 500 artisans could bring to fruition, writes Jeanne-Marie Cilento. Photography by Elli Ioannou
Crowns and coronets at Guo Pei
POISED in velvety darkness, under the soaring stones arches of the medieval Salle des Gens d'Armes, a glimmering figure appeared to open Guo Pei's haute couture show in Paris. Emerging from the dim recesses of the vast hall to lilting music, an 18th Century gown with wide panniers could just be glimpsed, wearing a crown and carrying a candelabra. It was a filmy, phosphorescent Marie Antoinette, the ghost of the last Queen of France who had been imprisoned here during the French Revolution. As a red glow lit up the massive columns, the ghostly form disappeared and twenty-one gold and silver embossed creations floated down the runway, redolent of a medieval world evoked by the great, Gothic hall that was once part of the palace of French kings.
Pei chose the stony glory of the Conciergerie as the backdrop to her Spring/Summer 2017 show because of its medieval history and connection to mythical kings and queens.
Medieval riches: encrusted with jewels
The Salle des Gens d'Armes was built under King Philippe IV (Philip the Fair, 1284–1314) and survives intact from the days when the Conciergerie was a medieval palace. The kings of France left at the end of the 14th Century for the palaces at the Louvre and Vincennes and it was transformed from a royal residence to a Palace of Justice where part of the building was converted into prison cells. By the late 1700s, the Conciergerie was one of the places where aristocrats were held in detention during the French Revolution including Marie-Antoinette just before she faced the guillotine.Today, much of the the palace is still used for the Paris law courts.
Guo Pei drew on this history for her atmospheric and theatrical show, a strong contrast to many of the other haute couture presentations in Paris held in contemporary, minimalist spaces with collections that more prosaic and tailored for wearability and a new generation of couture clients.
Ecclesiastical follies in silk and silver
Instead, Guo Pei created a show imbued with a richness and opulence, especially the extraordinarily elaborate embroidery and beadwork. Pei says she wanted to return to her design roots, making fashion more about art and ideas. She wanted the collection to be a metaphor for the spirit of devotion and power of faith embodied in ancient architecture and hand-crafted design through the forms of medieval warriors, saints and goddesses.
Models wearing gold-encrusted gowns like monarchs and silvery ecclesiastical creations slowly made their way along the runway. There were tightly-laced, patterned bodices, billowing sleeves and bejewelled crosses. Crowns and crystal orbs above long, windswept hair completed the image of magnificent medieval queens.
St Gallen's frescoed dome on a dress
Called Legend, the collection was originally inspired by a trip that Guo Pei took when she visited the Swiss town of St. Gallen, well know for its embroidery and specialist fabric workshops. She was there to meet textile manufacturer Jakob Schlaepfer's art director Martin Leuthold. He took her to visit the town's cathedral where she became so engrossed with the paintings of the fresoced dome and the brilliant gold of the interior, she missed her plane. This turned out to be the inspiration for the Paris collection including using the cathedral's archive of medieval architectural drawings to create the printed silks. Afterwards she worked closely with Leuthold to create gleaming woven gold fabric from metal fibre and silk thread.
Finale with Carmen Dell'Orefice in bold red
Another key inspiration for the richness of the collection was Pei's discovery of spools of rare gold thread in a tiny antique shop at the Saint-Ouen market in Paris. The thread was originally designed to be used for couture embroidery and Pei ended up buying the shop's entire collection, using it a year later for the embroidery in her new collection.
Closing the show and flanked by two young male attendants was the legendary model Carmen Dell’Orefice. Wearing a specially-made, long scarlet robe of silk, woven with fine metal thread and sewn with jewels and beads on a fan-like cape, Pei says the gown is a metaphor for both blood and sacrifice. Dell’Orefice first appeared on a Vogue cover in 1947 and 70 years later here she is on a runway in Paris, part of Guo Pei's theatrical exploration of the nature of beauty and the spirit. Additional reporting by Francois Belmont from Paris
Designer Gou Pei walks out for the finale of her haute couture show in Paris
Guo Pei captures the opulence of ecclesiastical gowns with the rich embroidery
The finale of Guo Pei's haute couture show at Paris La Conciergerie, a former medieval royal palace
St Gallen's cathedral gold rococo interior was an inspiration for the collection
Tulle and pale silks are used to conjure a contemporary evening gown
The beautifully draped silks depict the soft pastels of the frescoed dome of Switzerland's St Gallen's cathedral.
Guo Pei's five hundred artisans in her ateliers create the embroidery by hand
Modern medieval warrior with rich, beadwork and queenly crown
Beneath the 14th Century groined arches another modern princess walks the runway
Detail of the gown showing it's structure and the extraordinary workmanship of Guo Pei's ateliers
Close up of the designer's rich embroidery
A crystal ball crown and boned sleeves make this one of Pei's most theatrical creations
The crystal ball gave an eccentric silhouette to this sinuous, shimmering gown
Guo Pei's "Legend" theme was captured by the fantasy of this glimmering gown in pale pink silk
Guo Pei's silken gowns covered in the pastel baroque paintings from the dome of St Gallen's cathedral in Switzerland
Other worldly grace amid the stone canopies of a Parisian royal palace
Like a figure from a fairytale, Pei's princess wears a floating crown and scalloped skirt with a gold-encrusted metal supporting structure created with wires
The guests at the Guo Pei haute couture show were enthralled by the pageantry
A boned bodice contrasts with a filmy gown and jewelled cross
Some of the collection had an "Alice in Wonderland" sense of fantasy
Marie Antoinette was imprisoned in the palace where the show was held and some of the models captured a sense of melancholy
Diaphanous shimmering silk and rich embroidery were a theme that ran through the show
A glittering crown was replaced with an elaborate beehive for this complex ensemble of curvilinear pleats
Roccoco romance in swirling sequins and gilded crown
The dramatic backdrop of the Conciergerie palace added to the theatre of the show
Glimmering silk and embroidery for a trouser and cloak ensemble
Silken petals and gold boots make this one of the most whimsical of Guo Pei's collection
A bejewelled diadem and feathered cape of filmy taffetta
Tall crowns and sinuous gowns made Pei's medieval monarchs look regal
The brilliant gold and embroidery encrusted creations gave the collection a feeling from another age
Close up you can see the layers of precious stones and hand-sewn details that make Pei's work extraordinary
A silver encrusted creation that seems to be both ecclesiastical and from the Mad Hatter's tea party
Couturier Guo Pei takes her bow at the finale of her show in Paris
Kendall Jenner wears one of the sleek gowns with mirrored embroidery designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel's haute couture show in Paris. Cover picture of Lily Rose Depp on the runway by Lucile Perron
Karl Lagerfeld, the creative director of Chanel, talks about his soigne new haute couture collection in Paris under the great, glass dome of the Grand Palais. We take a look backstage at the preparation before the show and Vanessa Paradis tells what it's like seeing her daughter Lily Rose Depp wear the closing diaphanous pink gown, writes Jeanne-Marie Cilento
Art Deco, mirrored runway at Chanel
SILHOUETTES for the new Chanel couture collection were inspired by the ovoid form of Alberto Giacometti's abstract bronze sculpture Spoon Woman from 1926. But Karl Lagerfeld made sure there were no artistic rough edges: "I wanted something impeccable ~ I think couture has to be flawless," he said before the show. Chanel has four couture ateliers with specialist artisans. "I don't think many couture houses have four ateliers. They are divine." The monochrome, Art Deco runway was inspired by the pale palette of British interior designer Syrie Maugham. The colour scheme of the collection and the setting of the show captured the alabaster interiors Maugham
was known for. The decor also recalled the mirrored staircase in Coco
Chanel’s atelier at 31 Rue Cambon with elegant, tall
vases of arum lilies and glittering, reflective walls and floors. "I wanted everything silvery, mirrored and metally ~ the perfect set for the collection,'' Lagerfeld explained.
"I wanted something impeccable ~ I think couture has to be flawless"
Bella Hadid wearing a high-set belt
The Spring/Summer 2017 collection of suits and gowns was just as sleek and highly finished as the setting, enlivened with dashes of sparkling tweed or floating feathers. Lagerfeld made the overall shape of his designs much more curvaceous than previous seasons with billowing skirts and wide belts.
There was a sense of 1920s proportions with long, loose-fitting gowns but the mirrored embroidery and stark shapes made it contemporary. The narrower silhouettes
mixed with those curves made for a varied yet cohesive collection that was a virtuoso reimagining of the Chanel oeuvre by Lagerfeld.
"All of the embroidery is abstract, no flowers," said the designer. "The belts are beautifully made and they are a little higher on the waist, making the legs look longer."
Three of the models of the moment wore some of the most glamorous gowns of the runway show. Bella Hadid
appeared in a halter neck black chiffon dress that flared from the high waist, falling to mid calf with a glimmering embroidered layer below. While Kendall Jenner’s
silver gown was long and sleek finished with a wide band of white
feathers. The cloud of pale pink organza that completed the finale was worn by Lagerfeld's current muse, Lily Rose Depp. Talking about her daughter walking in the show, singer and actress Vanessa Paradis said: " As a mother I was terrified but as a woman and artist, I was spellbound. It was like she was floating above the mirrors. And the dress was incredible. It was heavenly."
"I was spellbound. It was like she was floating above the mirrors. The dress was heavenly"
Lily Rose Depp and designer Karl Lagerfeld
It was Depp's second appearance on the catwalk for Chanel after her debut in December at the house's
Métiers d'Art show. She has also represented Chanel for an eyewear campaign in 2015 and is the
face of the fragrance, Chanel No.5 L'eau. Vanessa Paradis has also been a long time muse for Lagerfeld. During the 1990s she starred in the campaign for L'esprit de Chanel perfume, and has
since been the face of Rouge Coco lipstick plus accessories
campaigns. For this show, she watched her daughter from the front row and was rewarded with a broad smile.
Lagerfeld contrasted the delicacy of the collection with slicked back hair and crinkled, top hats. "I thought it was very funny, the little hat, like squashed top hats,'' he said. The femininity was enhanced with the defined, raised waists and the wide belts that accentuated the hips, low-cut décolletés and faux pearl jewellery transformed into anklets. This was in contrast to the dresses with straight, tubular lines. The limited palette was dominated by white, silver and grey, made brilliant with metallic, sparkling panels. A chorus of other muted colours included pastel pink, yellow, blue and green, worn with silver-leather high heels, or thigh-high boots.
"Normally we don't drape much at Chanel. But the drapery has to be flawless, the pleats have to be perfect"
Iridescent tweed suit with top hat
This season, the classic Chanel tweed suits are given new life with an iridescent glow, embroidered braids and draped at the waist, emphasising the curves of the tulip skirts. "Normally we don't drape much at Chanel. But this season, I made all of these drapes. But the drapery has to be flawless. The pleats have to be perfect." A trompe l’oeil effect made them seem like dress-coats, the jacket tucked into a pencil skirt with golf pleats at the back. For evening, there are swathes of duchess satin, organza and taffeta's, flocked and laminated lace, tulle, jacquard and Georgette. Sheath dresses are enveloped in mirrored embroidery, strips of sequin embellished lace, or balls of feathers. Bustiers are embroidered with flowers and leaves above big skirts. The dresses in tulle have deep, square-cut necklines plunging to the start of the waist and marabou boleros.
At the end of the show, Lily Rose Depp walked out on the arm of Lagerfeld in the frothy wedding gown of diaphanous pale pink organza. Watching from the front row were an unusually low key crowd including Anna Mouglalis, Caroline de Maigret, Japanese artist G-Dragon, the singer Cécile Cassel and English actress Lucy Boynton as well as French actresses Laura Smet and Karidja Touré.
High waists and full skirts gave Lagerfeld's new collection for Chanel haute couture a new silhouette
The House's four couture ateliers created the mirrored embroidery on the evening gowns that reflected the Art Deco setting
Slim, column dresses with marabou trim provided a contrast to the full-skirted gowns
Thigh high boots were worn with layers of fine organza and wide, silver belts
Top hats and neat suits and dresses reinterpreted Jackie Onassis's signature looks
Bright iridescent colour enlivened the classic Chanel suit
Backstage neon and chunky knits at Christopher Raeburn's show in London, photographed by Liron Weissman. On the cover is the new AW17 Belstaff collection
On runways from London to Milan, urban camouflage with a strong Seventies vibe dominated the Autumn/Winter 2017 men's wear season. Many designers' new collections were sporty yet bulky & rustic enough to do another day of battle in the metropolis. Our special correspondent and fashion editor Limor Helfgott looks at the latest directions and tumultuous changes causing seismic shifts in the fashion world, including combining men's and women's collections on the same catwalk
Barak Shamir wearing Vivienne
Westwood. Photo: Filipe Phitzgerald
THIS season, the biannual men's wear showcase London Collections: Men was rebranded as LFWM ~ London Fashion Week Men’s ~ a significant step towards pushing the men’s fashion industry up to the reach and importance of the women's collections. Dylan Jones, chairman of LFWM, said that the new name will help men's wear, especially as brands continue showing men's and women's wear together.
Does that mean that the two events will eventually be merged into one? Time will tell, as the revolutions in how fashion shows are presented and sold continue worldwide. In the meantime, London Fashion Week Men’s is a key player in the global menswear fashion scene with the best of Savile row brands such as Chester Barrie and Kent & Curwen showing new work alongside experimental and innovative designers such as Ximon Lee and Sibling.
Brooklyn and Williamsburg may be considered the home of hipsters, but London has Dalston, Brick lane, Shoreditch
Brooklyn and Williamsburg may be considered the home of
Corduroy-wearing hipster at Xander Zhou
hipsters, but London has Dalston, Brick lane, Shoreditch and other urbans villages that are full of trendsetters hipsters and goths: this is certainly a city full of avant-garde inspiration.
More than fifty brands presented collections over four days and London once again offered a well-organised and diverse range of British and international designers. Designers from China, Korea, France, Italy and Scandinavia showed their designs and proved once again that the British capital is being recognised as an international fashion hub. However, notable by their absence this season, were Burberry and Paul Smith. Burberry, trendsetters as usual, announced they will be consolidating their men and women’s shows during the women’s fashion week. Paul Smith chose to showcase his collections in Paris and Milan. Not all the trends seen on the catwalk were new and many were different interpretations of what we have seen before, but there was certainly a twist and a new experimental edge. What should we be looking out for next winter then? Here are some of the key directions for your wardrobe if you want to master the AW17 look.
London Fashion Week Men’s is a key player in global fashion with the best of Savile row brands showing alongside experimental designers
Include Leather This season across many runways, leather was present in different shapes and forms. Chinese designer Xander Zhou presented oriental futurism and offered his own quirky interpretation of outerwear alongside sharp tailoring.
Long, black leather at Xander Zhou AW17
Some key pieces in the collection included shearling coats and long leather jackets in bright blue and shiny silver, and oversized, almost off-the-shoulder jackets with batwing sleeves. Glittering turtlenecks were also seen in this collection, spilt over and offering mid-riff exposure, as the designer said himself: “You’d better work on those abs!” Berthold’s AW17 collection also explores the rhythm of restriction with fuzzy, dimpled, and crisp textures that are taken from torn, soft leather and papers left folded and aged over time. While Berlin-based, Chinese-born Korean designer Ximon Lee showed unconventional outerwear in his AW17 collection: Called Shame, it explored the space between the conscious and unconscious. A strong Seventies vibe was notable with pieces such as long, patent leather coat, flared pants and stand out pieces such as sheer shirts or velvet trousers. A frequent motif was the deconstructed leather pouch or vest, thrown over the shoulder.
A Seventies vibe was notable with pieces such as long, patent leather coats, flared pants and sheer shirts or velvet trousers The historic British company Belstaff, which has been going for 93 years, offered men's and women's wear with classic silhouettes such as the peacoat and duffel coat, recreated in luxury Melton wool. Notable this season are new vintage
Leather coats & jackets at Belstaff
treatments used to reinterpret the weather-beaten outerwear worn by naval sailors during WWII. Waterproof hand-waxed cotton and leather reinforced the stylish functionality of naval outerwear. An Officer’s coat with silver naval buttons was a stand-out for women, while the classic Milford coat (originally designed for Sherlock) has been updated with the naval buttons for men. The parka plays an integral role, emphasised by an all-weather version based on a Belstaff archival piece that was created for the military in 1960. Made from down-filled ballistic nylon, originally developed as a material for flak jackets for WWII airmen. For men, the leather theme has a well-worn patina for a lived-in effect while the women’s showed Belstaff’s fabric innovation, a lightweight leather blouson and a machine-washable nappa leather jacket plus a crackled vinyl-effect featuring different naval emblems emblazoned on the back.
Christopher Raeburn deconstructs materials like bomb disposal uniforms, blankets and camouflage jackets with bright yellow neon splashes
Christopher Raeburn. Photo:Liron Weissman
A Dash of Neon Christopher Raeburn brings another one of his innovative, sustainable collections this AW17 season. Both men's and women's wear were presented and the designs were all about remaking, reducing and recycling. The designer used deconstructed materials including bomb disposal uniforms, blankets and camouflage jackets with bright yellow neon splashes. Even the backpacks had neon protective covers. Women's wear remade pieces came in the form of Utility dresses, parachute parkas and bomber jackets, with a focus on femininity. But a strong men's wear aesthetic dominated in the rest of the range to ensure a unisex offering that compliments the entire collection. Raeburn's pioneering work has brought sustainable design to a more mainstream fashion audience, aiming to combine both a luxury and integrity.
Tuck Your Shirt into Baggy Trousers
Baggy & bright at Liam Hodges AW17
Neon was key also at Liam Hodges, who created a collection that conjured up a dystopia inspired by the film Total Recall. On his catwalk, we also saw a couple of other key trends this season: tucked in shirts and wide trousers. The collection featured layered long-sleeved T-shirts tucked into padded salopette style trousers with removable pockets and collarless puffa jackets. Quite a few designers kicked off their shows this season with trousers that swung wide. Forget the skinny fits men have been squeezing into, the wide trousers are making their way into your closet and it looks like they are here to stay. We are loving this trend, there is a romantic nonchalant effect to baggy trousers, and they are certainly more comfortable. Korean Designer Songzio featured the high-waisted version of baggy trousers with a Nineties aesthetic and a grunge vibe.
A couple of other key trends this season: tucked in shirts and wide trousers ~ forget the skinny jeans
Suede and rollnecks at Songzio AW17
Keep Your Neck Warm: Rollnecks and Hoods One of the most recurring silhouettes for next winter is the rising neckline. The higher the better, with some designers presenting bolder versions of the roll-neck even rising over the face. Songzio’s collection is one example where a high neck was presented throughout the collection. Called Misanthrope, once again the range blurred the boundaries between fashion and art, continuing with the Paint on Black’ concept: each item from the collection inspired by the designer’s original paintings. The fusion of abstract art with modernist clothing is the brand’s unique signature style. From cold sharply tailored suits to romantic volumes, every season is another delicately curated exposition.This dramatic and bold collection was balanced with delicate art prints and presented dense knitwear from capes to voluminous bomber jackets in hues of brown and black complimented by the warm touch of mustang patchwork.
One of the most recurring silhouettes for next winter is the rising neckline, the higher the better
High necklines at Berthold AW17
At Berthold, necklines were even higher in a collection inspired by wide, desolate hospital corridors and angular shadows. Called Asylum, it pushed and pulled proportions with dimensions seeming to meet and diverge. Thick, rough bandages wrapping heads and masking identities translated into seemingly limitless volumes yet still full of energy. Maharishi’s silhouettes this season include inspiration from traditional African clothing with prominent stylistic references to the Djellaba, a hooded, long loose fitting robe from north west Africa. Another is the Djellabiya, a hoodless wide-collared and long-sleeved robe from the horn of Africa.
Boys in mini-skirts and women in deconstructed suits with powerful shoulder silhouettes: a rousing flirtation with gender fluidity.
Get Cozy with Crotchet Ringing true to the original meaning of
Rising model Barak Shamir in crochet at
Vivienne Woodwood. Photo: Filipe Phitzgerald
unisex, the highly anticipated debut of Vivienne Westwood's Ecotricity marked the return of the queen of anarchic style to London this season after several years of showing in Milan. Featuring boys in rib-knit sweaters and mini-skirts and women in deconstructed suits with powerful shoulder silhouettes, the collection presented a rousing flirtation with gender fluidity. Models wore crowns, and were dressed in offbeat patchwork knits, unconventional pinstripe suiting and hybrid layering of staple fabrics such as Prince of Wales checked wool and chunky knitwear. Heritage plaids on playful suits were teamed with shawls and crochet sweaters. Men's wear collections will also be featured in February during fashion week, as some of the designers are still experimenting with showing both women's wear and men's at the same time. However, now that the men's wear showcase is officially a part of its big sister, London Fashion Week, we can’t help but look forward to the next season and wonder what LFWM has in store for us in June.
