The style elite gathered in Paris this week for the annual Haute Couture Fashion Week. Houses including Dior, Chanel and Valentino presented their fairy-tale and often lavish offerings to fashion editors, celebrities and some of the world’s wealthiest consumers of couture.
Filled with breath-taking gowns, impeccable craftsmanship and jaw-dropping prices, the four-day fashion feast served up many fantastical moments.
Here are some of our highlights for the shows:
1. Roll up Roll up: Welcome to the Dior Circus
For the spring 2019 Haute Couture collection, creative director of Dior Maria Grazia Chiuri created a circus to showcase her vision. Held in a big top tent, models weaved through a human archway formed from the all-female circus company Mimbre.
2. Maternity Couture At Schiaparelli
Taking maternity wear to a whole new level, model Erin O’Connor closed the Schiaparelli show in a fuchsia tiered dresses that concealed her eight-month bump. The dress was so immense that it hid her choice of footwear with her announcing on her Instagram that she ditched the heels for pair of comfy Converse instead.
3. Asia Argento takes to the runway in angel wings
Italian actress and metoo campaigner Asia Argento was chosen by designer Antonio Grimaldi to close his haute couture show in her first major appearance since alleged sexual assault claims. Donning an asymmetrical white gown and angel wings, Asia was cast as the character Ariadne, from Greek mythology.
4. Insta-Couture
In a meta move, Viktor & Rolf fused fanciful rainbow hued frocks with slogans to highlight the banality of social media. One-liners like Trust me I’m a Liar and I Am My Own Muse were emblazoned across the confectionary hued dresses. Coming full circle the collection has now become the most instagrammed of haute couture fashion week.
5. Celine crying at Valentino
The Valentino show is always a highlight at Haute Couture fashion week but this season it brought showgoers to tears. It was that good. With a collection filled with jaw-dropping, saturated sweeping gowns, modelled by a diverse line-up including Naomi Campbell, it was the front row that caused a stir.
Celine Dion sat front row, wiping tears from her eyes as the collection evoked emotion from the audience.
But it’s also thought that the soundtrack closing the show, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, is the main reason as it’s the song that her and her late husband Rene Angelil had their first dance to when the got married.
6. The Glittering Bride At Chanel
Shunning the traditional notion of the bride must wear white, or even a dress at all. Italian model Vittoria Ceretti stepped into the role of Chanel bride in a sparkling cut-out swimsuit complete with bedazzled swim cap and trailing veil.
7. Back to the future as Balmain returns to Couture
Balmain, under the guise of creative director Oliver Roustening, returned to couture world this season. The last couture collection was back in 2002 when Oscar De La Renta was in control of the house. Showcasing a futuristic catwalk with space-age references and unique silhouettes was the last major show of the season.
