Paris Couture Week Spring 2023 - Day four

The final day of Paris Couture week ! I've been very busy with my eyes glued to my laptop for the past 3 days looking at all the photos and watching all of the runway shows! I've had so much fun and I hope you've been enjoying these little summery/reviews on the collections! So lets see what Day 4 has to offer

Aelis Spring 2023 Couture

The first show in the lineup is Aelis, There was a runway show but also a presentation video... the looks look better in the video than they do in the runway photos so I'll be showing a mix of both (I screen shot some moments from the video) The video starts out with this BEAUTIFUL beaded dresses, a nod to 1920s flappers.

That drop waist dress was the highlight of the collection... and it all just goes down hill from here. A lot of the dresses were ill fitting and the colours were all over the place. There was a lot of movement in way of sheer fabric but it just looked bulky to me.

I did read the show notes and most of it talked about their efforts for sustainable collections. Aelis is plastic free and cruelty free. Aelis reengineered old pieces from previous collections to avoid wasting natural resources and in aid to the conservation of the planet. Which is an amazing message... but I feel like again, the focus is on just the concept and not on the designs. All of those elements can still be implemented with better designs.

Above is a dress that was ok, it has a vintage flare to it which is what drew me to it. I like the soft pink tones, and the ribbon and lace detailing. This sort of dress has a more soft feminine look to it compared to the rest of the collection so it feels out of place for me. Also as a side note you can see how drastic the difference is between the runway photos and the presentation video ^.

There were a couple of other looks that had that 1920s inspired fringe which was fun but overall the collection was uninspired. The silhouettes and colour palette didn't work for me. However I applaud their efforts for a more sustainable future. If you want to watch the presentation click here. And if you want to see photos from the collection click here.

Imane Ayissi Spring 2023 Couture

This collection was a bit jumbled for me there were some nice pieces and some were a bit of a let down. I'm not very familiar with Imane Ayissi so I am just basing my opinion on this collection alone (so keep that in mind). Imane Ayissi mixes artisanal fabrics from Africa with things like tafatta, and brings them together to create unique pieces,

This collection offered tons of neon in similar colours to those we've seeing in collections this week. Both hot pink and light pink, green, and orange. For me the brightly coloured looks were the best in the collection. The silhouettes were better and I loved seeing the texture in similar shades all in one look (See last orange look above)

There were also some metalic pieces and all black looks (with bow details), for me these were a miss. They were a bit boring compared to the rest of the collection.

The models all had these oversized eyelashes which we've seen from other designers on the runway in the past, but it didn't really work for me in this collection. I looked at the show notes to try to find some explanation or significance to this choice but it was just theatrics. Which I normally appreciate but in this case I think it clashes a bit with the loud designs (it almost takes away for them). However there was this one dress that I really liked! it s a long royal blue sequin dress with a cape!... And yes I'm a bit bored of seeing dresses with capes from every other collection (Its a bit over done at this point). But in this case it works! The colour is stunning ! if you want to see photos of the entire collection click here.

Juana Martin Spring 2023 Couture

This collection had a few interesting pieces. A great use of white space VS dark space which created beautiful silhouettes. There was a lot of earth elements within the collection in the form of decorative branches (leaves). And Circular lines that created unique sculptural pieces that mimic the sea. The ruffles on some of the dresses made me think of waves crashing on the shore, but after reading the show notes: Juana Martin mentioned she wanted the ruffles on the dresses to capture a dancer mid spin.

However after seeing a few looks it began to feel a bit repetitive.... the looks all started to blend together and I was left thinking "didn't we just see this look?" particularly the tie dye looks below. I looked at the show notes and the collection was inspired by Juana Martins childhood summers spent near Màlaga (in the southern spanish coast). She wanted to reflect the city and the sea in this collection.

There were two polka dot looks which were a nod to the 1980s, a big theme this couture season. And also the polka dots used by flamenco dancers. I totally get the feeling of summer from this collection, and while its not my favourite overall I think its very thought out in its concept and execution. If you want to see photos of the entire collection click here

Fendi Spring 2023 Couture

Fendi showcased a beautiful collection of long, delicate lingerie inspired pieces and I am swooning. I love the beauty of lingerie, its feminine and typically has intricate lace. Kim Jones (artistic director) said he wanted to bing forward the idea of lingerie as evening wear. With the resurgence of 90s fashion slip dresses have been everywhere. However this collection takes me back further to a combination of more vintage lingerie, I'm thinking 1920s-1950s, and reimagined for the modern woman. Also the top 2 dresses on the right are making me think of the 1930s and I am loving it!

Here we have a couple of examples of the lingerie inspired looks, they have lace and the outline of the bodice on top. I have a few vintage slip dresses that has this similar look to them and I'm happy to see them being made again. Often times when I see lingerie inspired pieces they are made to look "sexy"or to push boundaries on what can be worn out as clothing. But I appreciate this different take on lingerie as fashion. It aligns more with what I would wear if I wanted to wear a slip dress out.

Among the Lingerie inspired looks were some beautiful gowns made of lace and sheer fabrics. There were also dresses with leather laser cut outs and chain mail gloves (see middle below). There were also a lot of small flower cut outs woven in the fabric.

The collection was feminine with a soft (almost angelic) colour palette which makes me think of the resurface of ultra femininity? This happened during during the great depression and after WWII. We are coming out of a pandemic and in the midst of an economic crisis which sets the table for these styles to resurface. Maybe I'm spending too much time in the history books or maybe this is wishful thinking that soft feminine styles will become mainstream again. Ok I'm getting off topic. The collection was beautiful and so far my favourite of the day! I expect to see some of these looks on the red carpet. If you want to see photos from the collection click here. And if you want to watch the full runway show click here.

Gaurav Gupta Spring 2023 Couture

This was Gaurav Gupta's first show on the official calendar at Paris Haute Couture week. I'll be honest I'm not very familiar with the designer but the collection was beautiful! I quickly looked through the designers website and instagram feed and it looks like these round curved lines are a signature for the brand. I saw it a few times and each time it was beautiful! I'll probably spend some more time this weekend searching and looking through the archives.

The first thing I thought of when I saw the collection was that a lot of the designs looks like paint brush strokes or splatters. The blend of organic lines with jagged edges were really beautiful. There was one look that features two models that was really interesting. I can see why Gaurav Gupta was added to the Haute Couture calendar.

Most of the show was in silver, gold and black with a few pops of colour in lime green and royal blue. One of my favourite being the royal blue one below. The curved lines look beautiful in that colour! If you want to see photos of the entire collection click here

Maison Sara Chraibi Spring 2023 Couture

Moroccan designer Sara Chraibi was a guest on the couture calendar this season. She debuted a beautiful collection called L'Etoffe des Songes which translates to Fabric of dreams. The collection had a lot of framing,this was seen through grids made from fabrics on dresses and skirts. It created beautiful structures. I also loved the beads and pearls used as tops.

The colour palette was black, white, gold, red and blue. A few looks also had star details which adds to the dreams concept. Overall it was a beautiful collection, my favourite look being the one on the bottom right. If you want to see photos of the whole collection click here.

Robert Wun Spring 2023 Couture

Wow wow wow! I love this collection its so theatrical, camp and completely imaginative! This is the level or art I expect designers to bring to the couture runway. Absolutely amazing. The collection consists of 21 looks and its my favourite show of the day... hands down! He was a guest on the Paris Couture calendar this season. His collection called Fear, is simply that, Rober Wun confronting his fear by designing everything that could go wrong when creating his collection

Robert Wun is a London based designer who's brand took a turn to bespoke, designing things big name celebrities like Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and Lizzo (Among others). And it is GENIUS! Things like spilled wine, rain, broken heels, catching fire, busted seams and more. These designs almost take the form of small characters running around the atelier causing misfits. I think its amazing! If you want to see photos of the entire collection click here.