The SS23 haute couture week in Paris produced four shows worth examining in detail, according to Guzal Ergasheva, World Arabia’s Fashion Director and co-founder of Russian Social Club.
Jean Paul Gaultier: The house, working in collaboration with Haider Ackermann following Gaultier’s retirement, produced an old-school haute couture collection in the most positive sense — feathers on skirts and tops, snake-like drapes on extraordinary dresses, a noble minimalism contrasted with unexpected elements. One unique show. Chanel: The conservative house brought in French artist Xavier Veilhan to create scenery featuring giant animals moving alongside models. The collection itself was faithful to the DNA — hats, bow ties, magnificent gowns — which is precisely what the audience loves Chanel for. Stable, immaculate, recognisable. Dior: A welcome surprise. Creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri replaced the house’s usual nymphs-and-pomposity with a simple, refined, and genuinely womanly collection. Over fifty catwalk images featuring costumes and jackets with fringe, velvet, and pearls. A feminist director delivering something soft. The contradiction is, perhaps, the point. Schiaparelli: The most discussed show of the week by some margin. Designer Daniel Roseberry presented an intellectual reinterpretation of the beasts from Dante’s Inferno — lion, leopard, she-wolf, symbolising tyranny, ambition, and greed — in fabulous dresses and costumes. The beasts were made of resin and foam; no animals were harmed. The images were shared globally. The mission of haute couture as cultural statement, as opposed to wearable clothing, was completely accomplished.