#bestinshow is a feature in which Prancing Through LIFE contributors collate their five favourite collections from New York, London, Paris and Milan each season. This week, I single out my favourite looks from the Paris haute couture shows. – Charlotte
1. Christian Dior
For Raf Simons, this season, it was all about holes, lattices and rivets – for a DIY approach just grab your hole puncher. Like a non-grungy bearing on the texture trend, the looks at Dior were youthful, feminine, and certainly wearable. The theme, Simons said, was ‘movement’. The 60s held a particular influence over the kinetics of the looks, when there occurred, according to Raf, a ‘literal movement in society’. Every piece was light and fresh. Even that badass navy suit had some sort of rad ventilation system going on in the sleeves. Personal favourite: the Warhol tube dress reminiscent of Campbell’s soup tins.
2. Valentino
Once again, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli have hit it the nail on the head with timeless beauty. This time, however, the main theme was the Italian Opera, with direct allusions to La Traviata, whose score was embroidered onto the skirt of the opening gown. The dresses (and pyjama suits) were as dramatic as the production. In summary there were Eden-esque details, high-impact Minimalist dresses in the middle, and the odd and unexpected sprinkling of an Henri Rousseau tiger. Wicked.
3. Chanel
Urgh, there are no words, it’s too beautiful. Actually there are: imagine a space-mermaid on a run. That was the basis of most of my favourite looks. To be honest, some of the looks were so obviously tacky, that they became chic – see the rainbow skirt-suit with the silver knee pads. Versace jump on it. The statement Massaro trainers which accompanied each look came with an impressive 3K price tag. Probs worth it though.
4. Maison Martin Margiela
C’est Derelicte. I loved this. It was as if someone had dug up a bead collection, a sewing kit, and a few antique rugs from the boxes in their attic and had made a solid collection from the findings. The gold booties were beautiful and radiant (made from the same material of the coat-sleeves), and the sixties, Bowie-esque feel of pink sequinned trousers was on point. Obviously not entirely wearable, but who could resist trying on one of those masks just once, eh?
5. Viktor & Rolf
Not so much of a favourite, but I couldn’t resist commenting. The partnership of Viktor & Rolf are defined by their eccentricity, but this collection blew everything out of the water. I didn’t know what would have been more painful, the walk en-pointe which every model executed with a bizarre, alien presence, or watching them first-hand from the front row. It seemed all a bit much, especially when for the finale, the entire troupe of dancers from the Dutch Ballet Company, still en pointe, galloped daintily around underneath an advertisement for duo’s own perfume, ‘BonBon’. Welcome to fashion ladies and gents.
So there we have it – five of the best collections of Couture SS2014.
Charlotte Dawnay
Charlotte Dawnay is the ART & FASHION Editor of Prancing Through LIFE. She also studies French and Spanish at Edinburgh University. She loves the work of surrealist artist Joan Miró and has a terrible addiction to avocado. This we’ve noticed is a common problem and although we cannot recommend anything to treat this addiction, we do sympathise.
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(All images sourced from: www.style.com)