The just-concluded Paris Haute Couture Week showcased a dazzling array of creations, from luminescent minidresses to fairy tale-inspired designs, as celebrities battled the summer heatwave. Here are some of the most memorable moments from the event.
Glowing Creations by Iris van Herpen and Schiaparelli
Dutch designer Iris van Herpen presented one of the week's most eye-catching pieces: a luminescent mini-dress that resembled glowing green cabbage leaves. However, no vegetables were involved. The dress had been "charged inside a particle accelerator", transforming it into a "metastable reservoir of energy" with patterns caused by electrical discharges. While the physics behind the creation was beyond most audiences, its beauty and van Herpen's continued experimentation with new technology and innovative materials were undeniable.
Schiaparelli also featured glowing outfits, including a silicone-moulded corset paired with a shimmering fringed skirt lit from within.
Fairy Tale Inspirations
Several designers drew from childhood fairy tales. At Chanel, Franco-Belgian designer Matthieu Blazy incorporated visual references to stories like "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Goldilocks", with embroidered climbing plants and straw-like coats. Rising star Robert Wun included nods to Cinderella and the Big Bad Wolf in his collection, which evoked a spooky Tim Burton-style vision of childhood rendered in bright primary colours.
Reversible Fashion by Alexis Mabille
French designer Alexis Mabille continued to challenge fashion conventions with his "Dual" collection, where every item was reversible. Beneath the concrete vaults of a parish hall on the outskirts of Paris, heavy coats and black velvet column dresses could be transformed in an instant into gold or silver outfits, leaving the audience astonished. Mabille posed questions like, "Why should a garment remain static? How can it be made more alive? What if every creation contained its own metamorphosis?"
Indian Presence at Haute Couture Week
The official Haute Couture Week calendar featured a new Indian designer: Manish Malhotra became the fourth couturier to join the calendar. He paid tribute to his recently deceased mother in an intensely personal show. Meanwhile, compatriot Rahul Mishra caught attention with dresses inspired by the famed Ajanta Caves, a complex of Buddhist rock-cut caves in Maharashtra, western India. "I think it was long overdue," Malhotra told AFP about the Indian presence. "India is so culturally rich in terms of texture and textile, architecture, jewels, embroidery."
Impact of the War in the Middle East
The war in the Middle East, sparked by US and Israeli attacks on Iran in February, has caused chaos for designers in the region and dampened sales worldwide. Syrian designer Rami Al Ali, who experienced Iranian missile and drone barrages in his home city Dubai, used the conflict as inspiration, focusing on solidarity and desire for peace. "We're waiting over the summer because it's another quiet season," he told AFP. "We'll see in September and October, but we're very hopeful that it's going to go back to semi-normal."
Men Doing Couture
Haute couture shows are always packed with celebrities, and this season was no exception. The number of high-profile male stars stood out, reflecting the blurring of gender lines in fashion and growing interest among men in wearing couture-style outfits. Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny attended the Schiaparelli show wearing a pastel yellow suit, while Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal was spotted at Chanel, and British actor Josh O'Connor went to Dior.
