At the Paris haute couture shows for autumn-winter 2016-17, revolution is in the air
Even in Paris, even with couture, many designers were breaking the barriers separating low and high fashion, adding a certain, dare we say, street cred to their collections
During this latest season of Paris haute couture autumn/winter 2016-17, we look at what the art of bespoke dressmaking means today and whether the recent disruptions in the ready-to-wear segment have had an impact on the bespoke and couture world.
Haute couture has traditionally been highly reclusive and exclusive designation, and only granted to a very select number of designers who meet strict standards of excellence and craftsmanship. Only designers who follow the strict rules of the art of bespoke, artisanal dressmaking set out by the French authority appear in Paris haute couture week.
Paris spring-summer 2017 menswear highlights
In the past few months, however, there has been an undeniable feeling of revolution in the air, with designers wanting to work at their own pace, outside of the demands of a frantic calendar, and to make their collections available immediately after they hit the catwalk.
While Burberry and Tom Ford were among the first brands to announce they would break with the status quo and switch to the so-called “see now, buy now” phenomenon, more brands followed in their footsteps, such as Vetements.
In a rather radical move, the designer du jour, Georgian-born Demna Gvasalia, founder of the much acclaimed ready-to-wear brand Vetements and new creative head at Balenciaga, opened the latest autumn/winter 2016-17 haute couture week in Paris by showcasing his Spring/Summer 2017 men’s and women’s wear as an invited guest member of the official haute couture calendar. The brand’s arrival on the calendar caused quiet a stir. Why would the very selective committee of the Federation Francaise de la Couture welcome a ready-to-wear brand to its haute couture calendar – a first in the history of French fashion – and how does this bold move affect the segment in itself?
