The human body is art in its own right. The way it sins to the great artists as such of Michelangelo and Alberto Giacometti, that no two are the same, the sweet essence of rarity. Each body is singular, embodying a sweet essence of rarity. Life itself inspires art to the extent that bodies become the blueprint and guidelines for haute couture. They are sculpted uniquely for each individual, aiding ateliers and artists in understanding proportions and experimenting with techniques, thereby fostering a quest for novelty and exploration in their collections.
This seasons Fall/Winter haute couture met at the intersection of tradition and modernity, luxury and creativity, offering a glimpse into today's evolving landscape of global fashion. Trickling down, haute couture not only sets trends but also shapes the way we perceive fashion as an art form. Designers like Gabrielle Chanel, Christian Dior, and Alexander McQueen have left indelible marks on haute couture.
Designers such as Daniel Roseberry at Schiaparelli and Robert Wun for his brand reflected in their collection this season the inevitability of time, and acceptability that everything ends. While Christian Dior in honour of the Olympics this year in Paris, less then a month away, honed into the traditional regalia the too originated from Greece. These trends not only shaped this season for haute couture but the stories that are yet to unfold in their own accents for the next seasons to come.
Here, are the six trends we're following from this seasons 2024 haute couture fall/winter collection.
Roaring twenties
Perhaps tapping into the elixir of youth and feeling 20 again is by dressing as if you're in the twenties, the 1920s. Androgynous straight silhouettes. The roaring twenties were called that for a reason, and houses like Armani Prive truly leaned into the glamorous side of the era. The designs ranged from svelte to grandiose. Elegant, streamlined evening dresses in intricate lace adorned with tiny crystals coexisted with expansive, flowing creations in ethereal tulle or silk chiffon.
Even the simplicity of feathers were a glimpse into the twenties with a flash to the flappers. Houses like Robert Wun and Elie Saab dabbled in the layering.
Tribute to the Olympic
Rather unsurprised the Paris Games were an inspiration for this haute couture season. Particularly for Dior's creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri. Deciding to create clothes that feel good on the body and act as a release. Clear silhouettes that vague similar to Ancient Greece's togas and regalia's that can be seen in ancient mosaics. This saw dresses that spoke in movements through drapery and loose long garments.
Using silk jersey and metal jersey, she eschewed traditional corsetry in favour of embroidered tank tops and bodysuits, transforming their essence completely. While maintaining formality, that exuded a liberated vibe, accentuated by the models’ strappy skimmer sandals. While you wouldn't be able to participate in the Olympics with this look, you would most definitely be fitted to watch in the stands.
The Garden of time
We did say the fashion trends drip down to other collections amongst the industry. And seems even the 2024 Met Gala's theme 'Garden of Time' might have inspired just that. Schiaparelli this season was inspired by the Phoenix, dare I say a little reminiscent of Alexander McQueen's Haute Couture collection The Horn of Plenty. There were feathers and Schiaparelli's famously used colours; black and gold.
Even Robert Wun played on the concept of time that nothing will last. Depicting that in his elegant bodice pieces where most had the illusion of being caught on fire, or being frayed and charred on the edges. Franck Sorbier used the motif of clouds for his collection. The dresses were silhouettes that looked light and fluffy with contrasting dark colour palettes, conveying natures majesty and freedom. Tony Ward was too inspired by the night sky, designing stars and galaxies into intricate details of luxury.
Phantom of the Opera
While Schiaparelli's collection might depict a phoenix, Roseberry's designs are always voluminous and luxurious enough to wear to the opera. Draped with capes and glistening gloves, Chanel too followed in the Operatic dress code. Plunging gowns and colour palettes in dark royal blues, ominous blacks and lustrous pearls that even evening gowns and coats appeared with ruffled bodices.
Sheer beauty
Sheer was taken to two levels this season. Sheer fabrics that teased at what was underneath, and the sheer shock value in showing us exactly what was underneath. The body. Thom Browne for this collection stunned his audience by representing the muscle, skin, and flesh of the human body in his collection. Surprisingly enough, Browne wasn't the only one. Robert Wun created a 4o kilogram red dress mimicking and depicting the whole human muscles.
Taking sheer to more of a simpler level was designers like Giambattista Valli and Nicolas Di Felice who collaborated with Jean Paul Gaultier (JPG) for this season. JPG's collection this season was a novely to the body, a tease to experience and be unveiled. As the show began from head to toe each look revealed more, the sheer pieces were a connective tissue that clinked and created shaped around the body, showing enough but not too much. Simply erotic gestures that showed the juxtaposing sheer beauty in exposing but hiding behind something so visible, but clearly untruly visible.
Married to couture
The 80's wedding dress style had a comeback, perhaps it was a blend of the bubble skirt mixed with Princess Diana's dress that houses like Chanel reintroduced into their collection. Chanel this season had Australian model Angelina Kendall be the bride, wearing a large white box in her hair and a scrunched cream long sleeve dress. White flowers were overlapped and stuck in the middle of the dress and puffed shoulders were hard to miss. Giambattista Valli and Charles de Vilmorin were one to join in the trend by having all white scrunched voluminous look. Extravagant and meticulous, will this mean the return of the 80's wedding gown?
