Change, the one fashion film from Haute Couture you don’t want to miss

The first digital edition of Haute Couture season finished on Wednesday. During 3 days, 34 fashion films put on display the savoir-faire of extraordinary designers. Huge names, from Dior to Chanel, passing by Valentino, Schiaparelli, Maison Margiela and Elie Saab. But also, more discrete houses took part of this landmark in fashion history.

 

Caper Kofi for Viktor&Rolf

 

The circumstances that pushed fashion brands into digital media were exceptional for this occasion. The coronavirus pandemic put the world upside-down. Since the spread started, there has been 11,8 million cases and more than half a million fatalities.

Taking that into account, fashion houses aspired to stay on the radar and to keep in touch in this particular time. They couldn’t continue with their traditional runways, so they needed to adapt. Nevertheless, fashion films have a complexity not all of them mastered. In my opinion, aesthetics is an important part of the project, but its not the only factor to favour. How you tell your story and the message you leave at the end is also essential.

 

My top 9 fashion films for Haute Couture Automne- Hiver 20-21

		Time	Outstanding feature	Aesthetics	Storytelling	Message
1	Viktor&Rolf	5’20’’	Engagement	9	10	10
2	Yuima Nakazato	4’12’’	Communication with clients	7	9	9
3	Julien Fournié	7’31’’	Designer in the first person	8	8	8
4	Dior	14’42’’	Cinematography	10	10	5
5	Ralph & Russo	6’22’’	Avatar	9	8	8
6	Aelis	9’22’’	Performance/ dance	9	8	7
7	Christophe Josse	10’22’’	Paris by night	8	8	5
8	Iris van Herpen	2’57’’	Technology	9	9	5
9	Schiaparelli	3’30’’	Sketches in NY city	8	8	8

 

Wonderful “Change”

The first place goes without a doubt to Viktor&Rolf. “Change” is an exquisite mix of the nostalgia of catwalks, a modern engaged brand and lavish couture. The voice-over narration sets the tone of the video in a very welcoming way despite the epidemics. An opulent empty room is the simple scene used in this film accompanied by an outstanding warm lighting that privilege the gowns and every skin tone. 3 models, product of a diverse casting, embody elegance at its finest.

 

 

The script is well thought out. It’s like an old fashion catwalk, with the narrator describing each garment and its inspiration. There are three main themes and each one of them includes 3 outfits.

The first group embraces a somber mood with fantasy elements like the raincloud motif incrustations in a blue satin empire line dress, a voluminous grey déshabillé with very long sleeves and an elaborate bow, typical of the Viktor&Rolf creations and cone motif black faux leather coat. This last outfit comes with a face mask, said to be “the smartest new accessory of the season”, according to the voiceover.

The second group of clothes sums up the “conflicting emotions these days”. The impact of social media is incarnated in a peach satin one shoulder dress embroider with emojis, each of them symbolising a “state of mind”. A second déshabillé enters into the scene, this time in pale pink and canary yellow and with many huge bows in the left sleeve. Then an asymmetric pink coat with decoration of holes and panels seems to be the perfect tool for social distancing.

The third group is all about love. “Change is necessary. If only we could change ourselves as easily as we do our outfits. Who wouldn’t choose love? Because love conquers all, n’est pas? (right?)”, says the voice while presenting a satin negligée with red, white and black hearts. A white bathrobe with heart shape red pockets is the perfect example of chic.

 

Final look – Casper Kofi for Viktor&Rolf

 

The finale outfit is sublime and full of meaning: a white faux leather coat adorns with glittering hearts. “We all deserve to be love, regardless of age, colour, gender, race, religion or sexuality”, emphasizes the narrator while presenting this garment.

Viktor&Rolf acknowledges the changes we are experiencing as a society and brings “spectacular beauty”, “unexpected elegance” and “spiritual glamour” to these strange times.

These are the reasons why I chose “Change” of Viktor&Rolf as my favourite fashion film from the Haute Couture season. In my opinion, this film makes sense. It challenges the traditional industry with a video that is intense and light at the same time. Its activism is shown in its faux leather use, LGBT rights statement, exposing mental health issues… The clothes reflect fantasy and humour with a brilliant level of execution. Through the 3 groups of outfits we pass from dark times to redemption. In the end, “love conquers all, n’est pas”.

 

 

The digital myth of Dior Haute Couture crosses a magical forest

The House of Dior premiered its first digital runway for the Haute Couture collection Autumn-Winter 2020/2021 on 6 July. The Covid-19 outbreak forced big names in the fashion industry to adapt their live shows of the season and turn them into virtual films.

Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode’s site

In 10 minutes (almost 15 if we take the credits into account), Dior transfers the audience to a very special forest from the Greek mythology, full of nymphs, a faun and even a mermaid.

The only connexion with reality is Dior’s petites mains (seamstresses). A bunch of them work in a luminous atelier distributed in three long tables. At the beginning of the film, they were giving the final touch to miniature dresses displayed on little mannequins, as if they were part of the Dior Theatre, showcase on 33 Avenue Montaigne, the historic place of the French maison.

Then the myth started. Two butlers carry around a trunk in the shape of a little house, Haussmann style, in a beautiful dense forest. A mermaid swimming in a pristine river enters the scene while a placid melody plays on the background. The characters cross into each other by a rocky bridge.

A group of nymphs are taking a bath by the river wearing transparent tunics in peachy tons. The two butlers stop by and open the trunk. We can find at the interior the mini dresses from the atelier. The nymphs are in awe when they discover the content.

Later, another nymph gets out of her shell when the two butlers show her one little grey halter pleated dress. Then they take measures of the woman and carry on.

Even Narcissus makes an appearance. He’s very busy watching his reflection on the water until he takes a quick look at the two butlers.

A red head nymph chooses a black dress full of ruffles layers with a powerful V neckline out of the trunk, while waiting for a faun approval. When he nods and smiles, she knows it’s the right garment.

Screenshot – Dior

A nude marble statue of Venus opens her eyes just to touch the mini version of a white long pleated dress, whose fluidity contrasts with her hand.

Without a doubt, the funniest scene is the one showing a couple kissing passionately under a tree. The two butlers try to have the attention of the woman doing a lot of noise.

In the middle of the film, we move back to the atelier, where the “petites mains” work now on the real size garments. They became real fairies to dress the nymphs. They are the heroes of the story.

After that, we can see the result of their hard work on 6 dresses. The red head nymph is flying around the enchanted forest follow by the faun, with a big smile on her face. The group of nymphs are doing the hair of the Nymph Dior, the only one wearing a golden metallic gown by the river. The mermaid also got a garment underwater. Venus stays still rocking her new dress. The nymph is out of her shell again but covered with a silver pleated gown. Finally, the lovers keep their place under the tree, but this time, the woman is wearing a transparent light Earth tone dress.

 

A little semiotics

Nature vs Atelier

Mythology vs Reality

Common garments vs Well-dressed

Simple vs Complex

Nudity vs Get dressed

Normal life vs Desire

Hard vs Soft

Static vs Movement

 

Analysis

Is it adapted to its time? We almost forget we are in the middle of a global epidemic. No social distance in the atelier, no face masks (we could be facing another time).

Even if it’s a dreamy setting, in 2020 seems like a very white adventure. Maybe that’s exactly their target: women with porcelain skin.

I couldn’t find the engaged brand that embraces feminism and that proposes women ruled the world.

On the other hand, it’s a beautiful collection by itself. You can see the hard work Dior is used to show. The colour palette is luminous, from the gold, silver and Earth tones to the classic black & white. Pleated long dresses with braids and ruffles are definitely making a statement for these goddesses.

 

 

 

The Giambattista Valli affair: when Haute Couture meets fans

‘Public showcase’. Those two words produced in me an inexplicable whirlwind of emotions. The Italian fashion designer Giambattista Valli announced in his brand’s Instagram a very rare decision about his Haute Couture collection. It will be open during three hours for the general public after its showcase to its guests.

OMG! What a wonderful opportunity to see in person the craftmanship of a creative mind I admire. I had seen before his dresses that looked like cotton candy or elaborate chantilly, always exuding femininity. Valli is the master of ruffles, volume and delicacy.

I didn’t know what to expect. But when I arrived to Jeu de Paume art gallery, I knew it was something unique. Early birds like me saw some of the guests that actually got invitations like Gabrielle Union, really gorgeous in person and not scared of the Parisian cold weather only wearing a sleeveless top with a long skirt, all in black. I was wearing a cape and two pair of socks.

While waiting I realized I was surrounded by people like me. Well, people that love fashion like me at least. Some of them were taking pictures, some of them were planning to crash another fashion show. It was a moment of general excitement.

When the clock marked 8pm the doors were still close for the general public, but a few minutes later, I entered the building with my fellow queue mates.

It was my first time at Jeu de Paume, inside Tuileries Garden, one of the most romantic gardens in Paris. The immaculate white space displayed some clutch bags in different colours by the hall with some zodiac signs embroideries. I took a picture of the scorpion one, my zodiac sign, that had a sapphire blue background.

Some steps later, the entrance to the exhibition was there.

STATIC FASHION

The gallery room was divided in five areas with 33 mannequins: white, green lime and hot pink, dusty pink, orange and yellow. Extravagant feather head pieces embellish some mannequins. The first one, by the entrance, showed two pink dresses and a white one. That was the beginning of the elaborate lace odyssey.

The second place was a long corridor that was home to six looks. My favourite one was a fuchsia cape with silver embroidery in the shape of flowers and with a rigid fall on the back. The shade was rich and the short silhouette looked young.

The third place was a longer hallway that produced in me a mix of feelings. Some beautiful pieces like an over the top white gown with a fluffy tulle skirt shared the space with dresses which prints reminded me of old flower wall papers or sofas. I also spotted a remarkable short dress in vivid red had a long train, ruffles around the skirt and balloon sleeves.

The fourth area depicted six passionate gowns. My favourite from this part was what I think is an inspiration of Cristobal Balenciaga. It is short and has the shape of a flower bud, the sleeves are voluminous and has a necklace attached. To add more drama, it was accompanied by a red feather mask which covered most of the face leaving the eyes exposed.

Finally, the last and most amazing room housed the most intricate gowns of them all under a playful light that went on and off. This was a magical moment! Yellow was a dominant colour in here, starting with a chiffon strapless dress with a train of at least three meters. Another incredible look for me was a teal dress along with embed orange feathers as well as a 50’s silhouette: a cream strapless tight on the waist with a delicate embroidery and yellow feathers.

The lights were spotting one gown after the other in an exquisite ballet. People were whispering in awe. For me, that was the personification of dreams. In real life, these garments are out of the league of the majority of the public. But that night, those gowns were ours.

Karl Lagerfeld da su último adiós en las pasarelas

© Karl Lagerfeld, 2017

Sin ceremonias públicas ni homenajes, pero sí con un gran despliegue de moda. Esta es la forma en la que Karl Lagerfeld se despedirá de una industria que lo vio alzarse como un ícono viviente de la creatividad, del trabajo duro y del buen vestir.

En sus 85 años de vida, el Káiser se caracterizó por tener un carácter que no buscaba la aprobación de los demás. Era él el que dictaba las tendencias, era él el que le decía a las mujeres cómo vestirse, era él quien determinaba si algo era elegante o no. En su contrato estaba estipulado que el diseñador alemán tenía total libertad para sus creaciones.

Su frenético ritmo de trabajo hizo que estuviera a la cabeza de dos firmas de Alta Costura como la francesa Chanel, con la que llegó a presentar 12 colecciones al año, y la italiana Fendi, a la que pertenecía desde hace 54 años. Además, creó su marca homónima, donde su figura era más una caricatura que lo hacía llegar a un público más joven.

En esta aventura de la marca propia tuvo una compañera: su gata Choupette. Esta gata birmana de 7 años y de ojos azules ha protagonizado suficientes campañas publicitarias para llegar a ganar 3 millones de euros en un año. Según diversas entrevistas, el amor que sentía por este animal no lo sentía por ninguna persona. En agradecimiento, Choupette se convirtió en el felino más mimado del planeta, no solo con “nanas” a su cargo, sino que ahora, tras la muerte de Lagerfeld, aparentemente se convertirá en heredera de una parte de su fortuna.

Lagerfeld vivió como quiso y eso es tal vez lo que veremos resumido en el último desfile Chanel que concibió, que será presentado el martes 5 de marzo durante la última jornada de la Semana de la Moda de París. Su última colección otoño-invierno 2019 tendrá un gran tinte de nostalgia para quienes admiran su trabajo y que se quedarán con las ganas de ver aún más de lo que Lagerfeld era posible de hacer.

You can go home now, Anthony Bourdain

Unapologetic, honest and far from clichés, Anthony Bourdain had a huge appetite for humanity. He taught me about compassion, leaving behind your comfort zone and to talk to strangers. You will be miss, dear Tony.

@PartsUnknownCNN

Looking up Anthony Bourdain was something natural for many viewers, including me. He was the cool guy that travelled the world telling stories in the most human way. His constructed scripts and his brutally honest personality introduced me to many different cultures not only through food but also through the people he met on his path.

Even if it was not in my mother tongue, Tony knew how to talk to me and how to make me curious about places I’ve never paid attention before. Every time I watched his TV shows, I was delighted with his attitude and his way to interact with unknown people. He made me curious about the world I was missing and inspired me to live my own adventures.

The cook had the best journalistic style I’ve ever watched on TV. He was natural, emphatic, intellectual, humble, open and as he always said “hungry for more”. He depicted the history of a country without getting a teacher’s tone while making you wonder about political, social and cultural issues.

I cherish the No Reservations episode in Peru. He shared my beloved country with the world, not with the eyes of a stranger, but with the eyes of somebody who found some peace in that place. I remembered he visited Lima, the Andes and the Amazon Rain Forest. He even made an Ayahuasca session that looked quite spiritual for him.

“A prophet once said: Don’t tell me what a man says. Don’t tell me what a man knows. Tell me where he’s travelled… Do we get smarter, more enlighten when we travel? Does travel bring wisdom? I think there’s probably no better place to find out than Peru”, mentioned Bourdain in the introduction of that episode.

While watching the tribute to Bourdain from CNN I couldn’t stop crying. It was like losing somebody I knew. And somehow I did. At least a part of his brilliant and dark soul. I can’t imagine all his demons but from the distance of a screen I saw a free spirit that lighted up the room.

Fine dining, street food and home cooking were not the main course of his TV shows. They were the excuse to gather people together from all over the world to exchange different points of view and habits, to discuss simple and complex issues in life. Sharing a meal helped talking about difficult subjects. It didn’t solve the world’s problems but it made them visible.

After every episode, Anthony Bourdain, the great storyteller of our times, knew he got the opportunity to quit the country he was visiting, unlike many of his guests, sometimes prosecuted by political reasons. Now you are free to go, Tony. May your soul find the peace you were looking for.

KKW’s CFDA validation

Either you love her or hate her but you know who she is. Keep up with this article to understand the importance of being the number 1 influencer of the world.

Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Of course you know the first initials of this article are a reference to Kim Kardashian West. She just won the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s first Influencer Award. She had all the credentials to take that prize home: she is a reality star turned into a boom on social media, a founder of a successful beauty line and Kanye West’s wife and muse.

With more than 112 million followers on Instagram, 60 million on Twitter and 30 million on Facebook, she is used to have all eyes on her. The 37 years old “nude selfie” fan has been recognized by the CFDA the same year as Raff Simons, Supreme and the Olsen twins (Mary Kate and Ashley). Even though their impressive contributions to the fashion industry, it has been Kim the real winner of the night (at least on the media coverage).

THE FINAL FASHION BLESSING

This award gives her validation from the core of the industry. Now it’s not only about the approval she had from Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of Vogue US, or her high fashion designer friends. The CFDA highlighted her role as a powerful creative business woman that helped build a new role in the fashion world. It’s happening right here and right now. Collaborations between brands and influencers are increasing in the shape of different type of content (photos, videos, games, teasings…).

Kim Kardashian is an expert in all that. Everything is calculated to get the more likes. Her constant presence in every media platform has a different kind of message adapted to every audience (family pictures, nude pictures, beauty routines, Kimojis, catfight with Taylor Swift…).

Everybody can agree that she put on the spotlight the hourglass silhouette, very different from the impossible skinny models of the time. Furthermore, she had showed that being the center of attention paid off and it became a career for many others.

A BUSINESS GENIUS

She is a human billboard and she takes advantage of it. She sells anything with a sexy touch which for her critics can be call vulgarity. She loves to create polemic and she knows how to sell it.  According to Hooper HQ top list of rich Instagram celebrities, in 2017 Kardashian touch more than 440 000 euros per paid post.

Her beauty is undeniable as well as her power on others (hello Donald Trump!). But what is she really standing for? Sex sells? Objectification of women? Free sexuality? Or just freedom? I don’t know if I have that answer but I believe neither does she. She is famous for being famous.

A glance of her contribution to fashion can be sum up in her CFDA acceptation speech: “I am kind of shocked that I am winning a fashion award when I am naked most of the time”. In my opinion, everything turns around her all the time in her mind. It is a mix of narcissism and a sharp sense of business. She was able to captivate people’s attention with her everyday life, which is not an average life.

UNDER THE SEMIOTIC MICROSCOPE

As fashion is the main concern of this blog, I would like to finish this article with an analysis of what she wore to the CFDA Awards. The choice for the big event has an interesting meaning.

 

Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Matt Baron/Shutterstock

 

She wore a crop top with an open back and a tight fitting maxi skirt by Rick Owens. Kim said that she wanted to stay “comfy and sexy”. And she certainly did emphasizing her curves in the white 2 piece ensemble.

KKW is famous for her booty and in this occasion she accentuated it thanks to the pleats on the front of her skirt. They let her curves dominate the scene with the falling of the light fabric on the back.

For the top, she went braless in a tiny crop top that was a little fluent on the neckline. She also rolled the bottom of this piece by the side, which gave her a modern allure.

Her bared midriff showed her tone abs. It emphasized her famous hourglass silhouette. While her garment was minimalist, her golden bracelets and rings were her statement pieces. She maintained the symmetry with one bracelet and one ring on each side.

For the makeup, she opted for her signature style: nude lips with intense eyes in earth tones. Her hair kept the balance of the ensemble in a high pony tail with loose waves.

The monochrome white hue of her garment, manicure and pedicure gave her a pure and ethereal look, like a Greek Goddess with a modern twist. For her, the ensemble worked as a power suit, not too formal.  As the influencer she is she reaffirmed that glam athleisure trend is going strong, at least for the following season.

Stella Pardo: Refine harmony

I found 2 talented brands with beautiful souls and styles at the international fashion trade show Who’s Next. In this second article, I will let you discover a rising luxurious brand.

My approach with Stella Pardo was natural and instinctively. With only one touch, the softness of a well-constructed sweater transport me somewhere I know. I was intrigued with this familiar feeling, this is why I treasured in my mind the name of this brand. The handmade piece talked to me in terms of sophistication, quality and design.

This first encounter took place at a store in Le Marais, a trendy neighbourhood in Paris where a lot of independent designers show their work. The second one was in a stand at Who’s Next, weeks later, where I discovered what we had in common.

Since the beginning I suspected that this brand was Hispanic. The surname Pardo has definitely Spanish origins. Nevertheless, I was not prepared for what came next. It turns out that the designer was born in Lima, Peru (just like me!).

I completely freak out and then I thought that her aesthetic was not very Peruvian. At least is not the Peruvian style I am used to see in the majority of stores in my country. I guess what really shocked me was the lack of bright colours or traditional representations. At this point I was confused.

The connecting thread of the “Jardins à l’Anglaise” (English gardens) collection presented at Who’s Next was based on sobriety, coziness and natural elegance. I was told that the main inspiration was England and the 70’s. I din’t only see sweaters, but also coats and dresses that were out of the ordinary. You could see in every piece many hours of work, passion and dedication. The colour palette was mainly neutral and the knitting attires looked intricate in a poetic way. 

Claire, who was in charge of the stand, explained me that Stella Pardo’s designer Cinthya Guerrero moved to France at a young age. So, when she decided to start a business, she visualized her project putting fine Peruvian fiber, alpaca wool, in the spotlight. Her innovative vision included a French signature style.

Nowadays, the project includes 80 to 100 Peruvian weavers that take part of a fair trade system. They come from vulnerable neighbourhoods in Lima and they earn their living by knitting unique luxurious pieces destined to travel beyond the South American borders.

I was gladly surprised by the cosmopolitan personality of the “Jardin à l’anglaise” collection and the fact that it even attracted Asian buyers around the trade show. Actually, the brand is present in countries like Italy, Japon, The Netherlands, China, South Corea, Belgium, Spain and Portugal, among others. The once focus on knitting label has developed a ready-to-wear catalogue and they have made an incursion with shoes and lifestyle products like alpaca rugs.

An interesting fact is that the name of the label pays homage to Cinthya’s grandmother. From my experience, grandmothers can be a genuine inspiration: full of character, hard work, perseverance and art. That’s definitely a winning combo in the fashion world.

• You can check Stella Pardo website here:

http://www.stellapardo.com/

Nach: wild, fun and free

I found 2 talented brands with beautiful souls and styles at the international fashion trade show Who’s Next in Paris. In this article I’m going to introduce you a young French brand called Nach.

Porcelain rings

What happens when your love for nature equals your love for fun and great style? You will probably end up creating a brand like Nach. At least, this is what happened to Nancy and Nadia Koch, who fusion their names and surname to start a savage adventure.

In 2011, they took their father’s speciality, porcelain, to elaborate exquisite handmade jewellery. A refine dose of extravagance allowed a leopard necklace to be the first piece of their collection to see the light. After the leopard, the porcelain elephants, flamingos, deer, rabbits, cats, ladybugs, hummingbirds, among other animals, were the protagonist of hoop earrings, rings and bracelets.

Emblematic leopard necklace among other savage creations

When I visited the Nach stand at Who’s Next, the first thing that caught my attention were the rings. I just couldn’t stop staring at them. They looked adorable!  My favourite was the one with the two ladybugs that stared at each other. This original model mixes porcelain and brass with gold plated, a match made in heaven. The best part is that this ring is adjustable.

Lucky charms ladybugs

I also saw rings 100% porcelain. They may be rigid but they are impressive and delicate. Like the Asian buyer who was next to me I also fell in love with the deer ring. The level of detail is amazing in these hand-painted pieces. It’s crazy how a hand-made object can transmit you the dedication which it was made with.

Lovely deer 100 % porcelain

Luckily, these two sisters from Toulouse didn’t stop their creativity at the jewellery section. They also made an incursion in the accessory area with leathers bags and in the ready to wear domain.

Wild clutch bags

They are loyal to their signature style putting nature in the center of their creations. The shirts and t-shirts are playful, exotic and feminine. I was seduced by some wild prints in delicate shirts showing a greener side of fashion. I was transport to the middle of a stylish jungle where drawing animals turned into life.

Detail of a bomber jacket by Nach

I think Nach is a brand with a lot of potential where permanent collections live in harmony with new collections. Nach reunites a unique savoir-faire, doesn’t follow trends (they create them) and is coherent with its core values. Animals and flowers remain the main inspiration of this French company that has already conquered international markets.

For more information about Nach:

https://www.nachbijoux.com/

Peclers Paris: Finding the magic in everyday clothes

There’s no secret that fast fashion has conquered a good part of our society. But can we get a more meaningful relationship with what we wear?

Peclers Paris’ team at Who’s Next

How to value what we are about to throw in a few weeks or months? That was essentially the question the Peclers Paris team developed at Who’s Next, the Parisian fashion trade show, during the conference “La mode doit regagner la bataille du sens!” (Fashion needs to make sense again).

Elisabeth Prat, global fashion trend director, and Rodolphe Pal, senior brand strategist, dig deep down the value crisis in the fashion industry that led to a lack of desire from the customers. People don’t want to wear what they find in the shops. They don’t feel that they are represented by fashion brands which are only selling products and not dreams.

How to stand out from the competition? How to generate a deeper connection with an audience? A strong brand identity can be a difficult thing to create nowadays. This is why these 3 key trends proposed by the specialists can make a difference:

• Breaking the codes (and the unreal beauty standards)
• Personalization (find the client’s style)
• My tribe (when an individual becomes a brand)

It’s also important that brands build emotional ties with the clients, so they will prefer repairing an item instead of getting rid of it. In order to be successful, companies need to remember why a fashion label was created in the first place. With that in mind, they will be able to notice and to communicate its core values. Like that, brands can be more relatable and can earn the trust of theirs clients.

At the end of the day, what’s more important is not to follow a trend, but to own it. The fact of copying a successful experience is not a guarantee that yours will be the same. If I can sum up this conference with a phrase it will be: be authentic, be bold, be true to yourself.