Paris couture shows analyse the age of social media and look back to more glamorous eras
Maison Margiela deconstructed garments into their essentials, Elie Saab showed a fascination with the 1960s, Dior went mystical, Schiaparelli explored traditional hanfu, Chanel focused on futuristic flappers and Armani Privé basked in orange
On Wednesday, the final day of the Paris couture shows, there was a timely reminder of the era we live in. Influenced by our ongoing obsession with social media and the way it has been taking its toll on our everyday lives, John Galliano dedicated his spring-summer 2017 Margiela Artisanal collection to the exploration of the selfie phenomenon, and took a look at “how reality is veiled in filters and conveyed through symbols”, as explained in a statement released by the Maison Margiela’s atelier.
Pointing the finger at our obsession with social media, Galliano played with the layering of multiple fabrics to build up his conceptual evening outfits, thereby referring to social media filters. But sublimation is not everything – distortion also plays an important role, both in the digital world and in Margiela’s Artisanal collection. Galliano peeled off garments to expose their essential structures, while tapping into Margiela’s signature deconstructivism and reconstructing classical tailored couture pieces into bold numbers.
But other collections looked to seemingly more glamorous eras. Lebanese couture giant Elie Saab was influenced in part by ’60s style, with those big shades and headbands. Then it was regal navy satin or sheers, gold and strategically placed lace appliqués on long, full sleeved gowns with lingerie undertones.
