CHANGING THE GAME: OSCARS 2015

There are some Oscar years where the defining mood is hard to pin down – but 2015 was the year where indefinability was exactly the point. No-one wanted to be limited or censored, and the prevailing spirit of the awards took its lead from Patricia Arquette’s rousing acceptance speech. Be passionate about what moves you; and the applause will follow.

While a coming-of-age novel-on-film wrestled with a surrealist musing on ego and the artist, on the red-carpet the contrasts kept coming. At first glance, the carpet seemed divided between pale, shimmering shades and bold swathes of colour, but the real face-off was between ‘classic’, romantic red-carpet moments and their left-field, modernist cousins.

This was nowhere more sharply defined than in the choices made by mums-to-be Keira Knightley and Sophie Hunter. This was pregnancy dressed, two ways. Keira has had issues dressing a growing pregnancy body, veering from an overly fussy Chanel Couture at the Globes to a sweet but underwhelming purple gown at the SAG Awards. Knightley decided to side-step the slinky option and went for full-on romance in an exquisitely embroidered gown by Valentino. Covered in floral appliqué, this dress was stress-free, with minimal alterations required. Keira struck just the right note of sweetly demure, the gentle look playing well with her delicate features.

Sophie Hunter, however, went for Parisian drama in a draped scarlet gown by Lanvin. Neatly accessorised with a positively-beaming Benedict Cumberbatch, Sophie played it cool. Gone are the days of spouses and partners dressing down – Matthew McConaughey’s wife Camila Alves raised the stakes last year in her superlative red-carpet tour, turning up in one knock-out design after another. Camila’s approach to red-carpet dressing has changed the game for plus-ones: there’s no hiding away in a LBD anymore.
This was an Oscars that saw the return of many familiar friends. After a few seasons out in the cold, the classic ballgown silhouette returned in force with Felicity Jones, Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez giving us drama – and volume – for days. While Lady Gaga got some heat for pairing her stunning Alaia gown with red gloves, Jennifer Lopez went all-out with the romance in an Elie Saab gown that was perfectly in sync with her skin-tone. While there was too much cleavage on display (for some), the delicate bead-work made this one of my favourite choices for Lopez, who every now and again likes to remind us that she can do elegance really, really well.

But if ballgowns aren’t your thing, and you still like a bit of tradition on the red-carpet, the beaded sheath dress returned, this time adding colour into the mix.

Emma Stone’s custom gown by Elie Saab was a perfect case in point. Wearing a notoriously hard colour, Emma’s chartreuse gown would be a complexion-draining nightmare for 99.9% of the population. But with Stone’s fair skin and red hair, Elie Saab got the shade exactly right. Emma’s gown managed to be both classic and modern; the backless beaded sheath was Hollywood 101, while the daring use of colour could not have been more contemporary if it tried.
Classic glamour paired itself with many of the big winners, including Best Actress Julianne Moore who won her first Oscar in a head-to-toe stunner from Chanel Couture.

The vital statistics of this dress are dizzying. In total, the dress took 27 workers at Chanel 927 hours to make. Nine-hundred and twenty-seven hours. That equates to a month-and-a-half of solid sewing. Created from organza, this dress boasted 80,000 hand-painted resin sequins and flowers – all of course sewn on by hand.
Despite its impressive pedigree, this custom design with its Twenties drop-waist has meant this couture beauty hasn’t been everyone’s favourite. But I will attempt to convert you.
This is a dress designed specifically for the red-carpet; made for the close scrutiny of the camera. Google this gown on http://www.vogue.co.uk and look at it up close, and the detail is what brings the dress to life. Worked on by the best in the business, this is couture magnified. Karl Lagerfeld reminds us to not just take in the picture as a whole, but take time to appreciate the effort and workmanship it takes to bring something like this to fruition. Nuance isn’t just reserved for the big screen – high fashion also needs time and consideration to fulfil its potential. If you weren’t feeling it for Julianne’s custom Chanel, get a closer look and I promise that even if you still don’t love it, you will begin to appreciate it.

While romance scooped many of the headlines, for my money the best looks of the night were pared-back, minimal with a single killer detail.
My personal choice for Best Dressed was ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ star Margot Robbie. Wearing a black, long-sleeved chiffon gown from Saint Laurent, Margot accessorised the retro look with a $1.5 million Van Cleef and Arpels diamond necklace (originally designed for the Duchess of Windsor) – but the editorial edge came from Margot’s beauty styling. Debuting a new, shorter bob and adding a classic note with red lipstick, on a night where natural and glowy set the pace, Margot set herself apart in bold, dramatic style.
While I opted for Margot Robbie as Best Dressed, the verdict now seems to rest with ’50 Shades of Grey’ star Dakota Johnson who also impressed in a red gown from Saint Laurent. A one-shouldered creation with a jewelled knotted detail on the tip of the shoulder, this gown was a feat of engineering – nothing drooped, nothing puckered – everything stayed put. Saint Laurent has to be congratulated for coming up with a gown that exudes discipline, worn by the star of the most notorious film of the year. The dress was undeniably beautiful, and Dakota deserved her spot in the Best Dressed lists, but it was the construction of this gown that needed a round of applause.

The night was not without controversy, but for once, this wasn’t a risqué hemline or sheer panel that raised eyebrows (although Rita Ora’s after-party frock came pretty close).
You may want to check the weather report as I am about to disagree with Reese Witherspoon, and hell might indeed have frozen over. The campaign to get red-carpet pundits to #askhermore, which Witherspoon supported, while well-intentioned, proved somewhat disingenuous. Yes, a woman’s success at the Oscars is largely measured by what she’s wearing. Yes, a man’s Oscar profile isn’t measured in the same way, and yes, it is blatantly sexist and extremely unfair.

But the red-carpet game, however superficial you might think it is, is played by everyone. The smart cookies wear something that not only indicates where they are now in their career, but where they see themselves in 5 years’ time. The Oscars is basically the world’s glitziest job interview – and there are no exceptions. If you turn up, you’re taking part. Witherspoon, being one of Hollywood’s smartest cookies, understands this concept very well. Her black and white gown by Tom Ford may have looked like a deliberately-subdued choice, but with the expert tailoring from Ford, this gown was undeniably Brand Witherspoon: sophisticated, elegant and always the right side of sexy. Witherspoon never sells herself short; she’s a regular on the Best Dressed lists, but we all know that those fabulous red-carpet choices come packaged with a woman whose intelligence and wit make her no-one’s fool. There’s no need to #askhermore with Reese – she’s already giving you everything she’s got.

While it got a bit political over womenswear, the receding popularity of the classic tuxedo pushed menswear into the spotlight too. Though nominees Ethan Hawke and Michael Keaton went for the black tux (and nothing wrong with that), Benedict Cumberbatch, Jared Leto and Eddie Redmayne all opted for a fresh look at the tuxedo. Cumberbatch channelled honeymoon chic in an impeccably-tailored white jacket while Eddie won the gold in a navy tux from McQueen that worked brilliantly with his colouring. This growing trend to depart from the classic tuxedo is creating a genuine buzz around menswear – there will always be those who just feel more comfortable going classic – but for the boys who like their fashion, this is definitely the time to look around and explore. Expect to see this trend emerge in greater detail in Awards Season 2016.

So with the Oscars comes the end of the Awards Season for this year. It’s always difficult to sum up the ‘theme’ of an Awards Season, as there are so many variables. But 2015, if I had to pin it down, has to be the year where real choice and diversity made itself known. Menswear has gone from classic across the board, to nominees wearing colour and texture with confidence and flair. Womenswear has become more difficult to narrow down into a coherent ‘look’ and while that makes my job harder, this means that stars are now approaching red-carpet dressing with the same individuality they would apply to real life. The sure-fire route to Best Dressed is no longer such a clearly defined path. The sparkles, the dazzle are not always the way to impress: Best Dressed is no longer about being impeccable – it’s about being individual. While we will continue to ask ‘Who are you wearing?’, it’s becoming self-evident that our expectations are changing. We want to see the person behind the label – and gradually, Hollywood is getting the memo.

HELEN TOPE

PLAYING BOLD: GOLDEN GLOBES 2015

When it comes to writing about fashion, the space occupied by the red-carpet is quite unique – the red-carpet gown has a lot to live up to: as well as being current, it must be relatable, making its wearer seem likable, charming but still very much exuding star-power.
The temptation to play it safe and fade into the background must sometimes be overwhelming – braving it out with a daring colour or new style direction is a total high-wire act: get it wrong and the evidence will be internet fodder for the next ten years. Getting it right requires a bit of fashion know-how and a whole lot of nerve – luckily for us, at this year’s Golden Globes, playing bold was the game of choice.

(Kate Hudson wearing Atelier Versace)

This gutsy approach was self-evident very early on, with white gowns turning up in large numbers. Despite its reputation for being tricky to wear, white is a red-carpet staple; beloved by ingénues and more established names alike. Its versatility is the key to its popularity – it can be sophisticated (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Narciso Rodriguez); sweetly feminine (Keira Knightley, Chanel) and even cutting edge (Rosamund Pike, Vera Wang). White never blends in and there’s a shade to suit every complexion, with stars including Reese Witherspoon, Salma Hayek and Emily Blunt all wearing (very different) interpretations of this classic neutral.

(Julia Louis-Dreyfus wearing Narciso Rodriguez)
Kate Hudson wowed in an all-bets-are-off Atelier Versace, with wickedly unforgiving cut-out detail. Versace smartly pushed the dress to its limits, but even with serious skin on show, what you noticed about Hudson’s look was how the fabric draped, rather than clung, creating an easy elegance that made Hudson instant click-bait. Playing with our perceptions is Versace’s go-to move, and turning super-sexy into red-carpet-appropriate was the work of a (very adept) sleight of hand – and Hudson looked simply fabulous.

(Diane Kruger wearing Emilia Wickstead)

From one extreme to another, Diane Kruger was positively regal in a high-necked, vintage-style gown by British designer Emilia Wickstead. While a traditional choice, Kruger’s pared-back styling meant this look was far from stuffy. Kruger is normally a fan of couture-like detail, wearing highly decorated pieces, and to see her in such a simple design was a welcome change of pace.
The headline to take away from this year’s Golden Globes red carpet, though, was the re-emergence of colour – this time not as an accent, but as the main event. Blues, reds, pinks and purples saturated the carpet, lifting the rain-soaked event with a wash of exuberant colour.

(Amy Adams wearing custom Versace)

The most successful attempts at colour were those who wore shades that complemented skin tone: Amy Adams demonstrated this with aplomb in a delicate shade of lilac-tinged blue that worked perfectly with her pale skin and red hair. Dressed by Versace in a one-shouldered, neo-Grecian gown, this elegant offering was vintage-inspired but clearly an expertly-fitted custom design. Adams has a track record of beautiful red-carpet moments wearing blue – but it will take an impressive gown to knock this Versace off the top spot.

(Gwyneth Paltrow posing for an Instagram snap, wearing Michael Kors)

Playing to your strengths is always a good strategy for the red-carpet, and no-one knows this better than Gwyneth Paltrow. A favourite with designers including Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren, Paltrow’s recent run of red-carpet hits meant expectations were high – and she didn’t disappoint.
Wearing a bubble-gum pink gown with a plunging neckline, Gwyneth’s choice of colour was reminiscent of her 1999 taffeta Oscar gown – but that’s where the similarities ended. In the years since her Oscar win, Paltrow has learned about fashion and what suits her best – clean, athletic lines work perfectly on Gwyneth’s frame, and she looked relaxed and comfortable in a made-to-measure Michael Kors gown that had just the right degree of slink.

But while the main story was colour, sparkle was still in evidence with Julianne Moore (Givenchy), Reese Witherspoon (Calvin Klein) and ’50 Shades of Grey’ star Dakota Johnson (Chanel) all opting for decadent shimmer.

(Julianne Moore wearing Givenchy Couture)

Wearing haute couture sequins from Givenchy, Golden Globe winner Julianne Moore dazzled. Her easy-going approach to the red carpet made this sparkler of a gown fresh, contemporary and very modern. Looking at this year’s red-carpet, you’d be forgiven for thinking that traditional red-carpet glitz was off the menu – it was there; just dressed in a different way.

(left to right: Emma Stone wearing Lanvin; Lorde wearing Narciso Rodriguez)

When it came to style winners, left-field choices created the most buzz: Emma Stone in a beaded Lanvin jumpsuit was cool without being try-hard; Lorde kept it youthful but occasion-appropriate in a custom Narciso Rodriguez suit with Neil Lane jewels and Kerry Washington’s bespoke gown from Mary Katrantzou may have divided opinion but introduced a new design voice into the fray. High-fashion has often had a rough ride in finding its groove on the red-carpet, but custom design is proving to be the way forward, with many attendees this year wearing creations that were one-of-a-kind.

(Kerry Washington wearing custom Mary Katrantzou)

Going against the grain when your style forms a large part of your reputation is definitely easier said than done, but while there was still room for tradition, it was the voices of style dissent that were heard loud and clear – from those who took a gamble with a style refresh, to those who played with our expectations.
With independent films already dominating the awards race, that same off-beat sensibility has definitely found its expression on the red-carpet – and 2015 is already looking like a bolder, braver year.

HELEN TOPE

A SENSE OF TIME, A SENSE OF PLACE: COUTURE A/W 2014

We tend to think of fashion as an ever-movable feast: never resting in the same place twice. Trends come and go at a dizzying pace, setting off in pursuit of the brave and the new. But look closer, and fashion is rooted in tradition far more than a first glance would suggest.
Couture week is the most visible marker of that tradition: handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces that communicate that fashion is not just the work of single moments – flashes of brilliance that are gone in an instant – but something altogether more substantial.
Couture is often seen as the preserve of the super-rich, but this season’s collections spoke of a more collective experience: a heritage of craft and skill that offers a unique perspective on what we wear, and why we wear it.
A sense of history informed many of the key shows, with couture houses going back to their roots. While some (Giorgio Armani) celebrated milestones, other had their gaze firmly fixed on what lies ahead.

DIOR
Held at the Rodin Museum, Raf Simons’ collection for Dior Couture took us on a time-travelling journey; presenting ideas in small groups of 8-10 looks, Simons challenged us to both focus and broaden our minds.
Moving from the wide, pannier skirts of the 18th century to delicate, buttoned Edwardian cuffs, Simons introduced elements of the modern with sports luxe: silk jumpsuits and sporty tops mingled readily with ballgowns accessorised with silver bangles. The collection was untraditional from the get-go – starting with statement ballgowns, a couture staple normally reserved for a fashion big finish.
Pairing floor-grazing cashmere coats with flat shoes, this was Dior’s attempt at laidback luxury – a trend that has made serious headway since Karl Lagerfeld sent his models down last season’s couture catwalk in logo-embossed trainers. More than a passing fad, this proved to be couture’s way of translating its history of formality into a modern language of comfort. You can see this idea working its way onto the high street, with stores such as Zara producing wearable, adaptable pieces that slot into an existing wardrobe, turning us away from the buy-now, wear-once philosophy and turning us onto the habit of making considered pieces. Simons’ easy luxury will continue to see this way of dressing permeate the high street – giving us more, while we buy less.

VERSACE
While Dior added to its history, Atelier Versace had clearly spent the last six months sketching out a whole new chapter. Wowing industry insiders across the board, as precision-cut tailoring (sharp shoulders and sleek skirts) gave way to reveal plunging necklines and thigh-high slits, Versace was not only on form – it was on fire.
Versace, with this collection, was saying to the world that not only is it a fashion house in great economical shape, but a creative hub at the peak of its powers. This was couture on Versace’s terms – and their bold, sexy signature style in couture was a killer move. The Versace philosophy has always lent itself to big statements – but this was a statement of cool, creative confidence; made all the more striking when you consider that Atelier Versace only returned to the Paris runways a few years ago.
The influence of Versace’s super-feminine pieces will be a key feature this coming Autumn, with preview collections for A/W 2014 already showing long, fitted skirts; taking the maxi from boho chic to smart, tailored sophistication.
The supernova success of the Versace show has even led the fashion press to speculate that the Italians are beating the French at their own game, with Armani Prive producing a knockout collection in red and black. Forget the World Cup – this was the play-off really worth watching.

CHANEL
Chanel’s answer to Versace was a tutoring in fashion history, courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld.
It’s often said that history is important as it is impossible to know where you are going, if you don’t know where you have come from – and nowhere is this truer than in the history of fashion.
Playing on its own history, Chanel Couture offered up intricately-worked tweed coats and jackets, with baroque swirls of gold on hems and collars. Tightly-buttoned sleeves and scruffy urchin hair mixed 18th century detail with Charles Dickens’ Artful Dodger – gleeful couture that created modern notes with bags slung across the body and ribboned flats: tailor-made for women who want a little compromise in their haute couture. This was history and modernity coming together to create a clear sense of direction.
While couture-like workmanship can’t be reproduced on the high street, Chanel’s big story was texture: whether that was in fabric or embellishment, this was fashion that jumped right off the page. Expect to see 3D everywhere – from trophy jackets to stellar eveningwear.
As couture continues to wield its influence over the high street, it seems that predictions of its demise during the global recession were greatly exaggerated. Couture exceeded all expectations by adapting, and not only survived, but actively thrived.
Couture’s historical roots are the best argument for its continued survival – craftsmanship was the overriding theme of this season’s shows – proudly displaying what can only be created by hand. This is fashion designed to stand up to scrutiny in a way that ready-to-wear simply cannot. It is no longer enough to look at the individual cost of couture, but to understand the value of couture, is to understand its collective worth. Oscar Wilde said that a cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing – and this season’s couture collections were notable for their bracing lack of cynicism. Couture returned to the sheer, unabashed joy of creating for its own sake – and the result was a season full of fresh, bold and exciting ideas.
Couture survives because it is tradition, but a tradition that sets its sights on what’s to come. Fashion will always have flashes of brilliance, but for the truly great ideas, the ones that persuade us to change what we wear and why we wear it, couture remains king.

HELEN TOPE

ELEGANT PRECISION: HAUTE COUTURE (AUTUMN 2013)

Valentino Couture (Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccoli)

Ever since Valentino’s departure in 2008, the challenge has been how to keep the iconic Italian label contemporary. In demand by royalty since the 1960’s (that’s showbiz and political royalty along with the real thing), Valentino has been for decades, a byword for elegance.

Meeting that challenge head-on, Chiuri and Piccoli have rewritten Valentino’s template for glamour. Bringing together top-notch workmanship with Medieval and Baroque references, this season’s couture collection was a history lesson in every sense of the word. Taking Valentino’s solid reputation as its base, the collection built on this with layers of tweed and cashmere, overlaid with exquisitely-worked embroidery. The silhouette of choice was regal elegance: high-necks, full, splaying skirts and cinched waists. This really was a collection fit for a princess, filled with detail, dresses and capes were covered with hand-stitched motifs of seashells and coral. This was off-centre glamour; created for women who want an elegant and precise mode of couture. Haute Couture has sometimes garnered a reputation for excess and grandeur: here the Valentino team created modern couture for the modern woman, mastering the art of business with beauty.

Elie Saab Couture (Elie Saab)

If Valentino is famous for kitting out royalty, then Elie Saab is surely the ultimate destination for film stars wanting to prep for the red-carpet.

Synonymous with sparkle and shine, Saab has been a regular fixture on the red-carpet ever since his rose-strewn gown was worn by Halle Berry to the 2002 Oscars. Saab has been known as a red-carpet favourite for over a decade now, with starlets and more established names alike opting for his glamour-packed gowns.

However, this season’s collection, while hitting all the high notes one would expect from Saab, got there by taking a different route.

The embellishments, Saab’s calling card, were presented with a crucial element of restraint.  With a darker palette of dove-grey, maroon and navy blue, the sparkle was toned down and replaced by an emphasis on form. Google any of Saab’s previous collections, and you’ll soon notice that volume plays a large part in creating an impact.  A Saab gown is unapologetic about taking up space on a red-carpet. But if you look at this season’s collection, the voluminous skirts are replaced by a simpler silhouette. The Elie Saab dress now takes tailoring as its starting point, and the embellishments, whilst still present, are applied with a restraint that creates a PR-friendly brand of conservative elegance that’s perfect for the post-recession red carpet. Meeting the ever-complex needs of his clientele, Elie Saab’s latest collection is a masterclass on how couture delivers results.

Chanel Couture (Karl Lagerfeld)

With models emerging from a shining, glittering metropolis to take to the runway, Karl Lagerfeld made it very clear within the opening seconds of his show that his eye was firmly set on the future.

Futuristic, modern touches were everywhere in this Chanel collection: metallic thread was woven into the body of the iconic Chanel tweed jackets; geometric prints matched with sequinned skirts and boxy, squared-off silhouettes set the tone.

The most interesting aspect of the collection, however, was Karl’s take on proportion. Layering cropped jackets over tunics, leggings and boots, this workable approach to winter layers used tone-on-tone to create a look that felt unified and coherent. Adding grunge-chic texture for interest, Karl’s idea for figure-friendly layering is already proving to be a winner, with many fashion pundits dubbing this the look of the season.

Dior Couture (Raf Simons)

If there was one word you could take away from Raf Simons’ third collection for Dior Couture, it was ‘multi-cultural’.

Using the Dior staples (the Bar jacket, houndstooth print and the black wool day dress), Simons transformed them with African beading and Japanese tailoring. This was a play on fashion semantics; taking our expectations of Dior Couture and inverting them. Featuring African prints with Japanese obi-belts, this was Dior speaking an international language. As couture moves into new territories (and new cultures), Simons predicts how fashion will absorb these ideas and translate them into a new definition of luxury. This collection was clever and proof that Raf Simons (along with Karl Lagerfeld) is keeping an eye on what’s to come.

Atelier Versace (Donatella Versace)

Atelier Versace opened the couture season with a bang, choosing Naomi Campbell to open their show. Walking for the label for the first time in 15 years, this was a show-opener with maximum impact.

Again, Versace’s show was punctuated with a mood of restraint and subtlety (or at least, subtlety by Versace standards). The sexy silhouette of the Italian label was out in full force, with lace jumpsuits and corsets taking the lead, with the show-stopping sequinned gowns following behind to provide the big finish.

The high-octane glamour, though, was tempered by use of a sober palette: the acid-yellows and neon pinks of last Spring were replaced by forest greens and petrol blues. It was still dishing up glamazon fierceness, the Versace badge of honour, but this was Versace contained; an altogether different animal. This was not Versace tamed – merely a Versace more inclined to win your over by seduction, rather than stealth. The pieces we recognise as being hallmark Versace were re-arranged to create a fresh interpretation of an old standard.

This was a common theme in many of the couture collections: how to make couture, according to British Vogue, ‘relevant in a modern world’. It is a mistake to think of couture as the cumbersome, slow-moving Leviathan to its swifter cousin, ready-to-wear. Couture has been the branch of the fashion industry quickest to respond and adapt to the challenges of dressing a recessionist world. In 2008, haute couture was predicted to be the first casualty of the global recession. Five years later, it is stronger than ever, with new couture houses such as Giambattista Valli joining the more familiar names of Chanel and Dior.

A delicate balance has been struck this season; in-between the bold strokes of creativity essential for couture, and a tempered accessibility required by its new clientele. The idea of handcrafted fashion may seem like one that belongs to another age, but what was shown this season, is that couture can stay in the game by changing its ideas.  By trading on its strengths and not playing it safe, couture has weathered the recession not because it is necessary, but because it is beautiful, and in fashion, beauty is the easiest sale of all.

HELEN TOPE

IN PRAISE OF…COUTURE

While the rest of us struggle with the January blues, fashion is firmly in 2012 with couture season ending this week in Paris. Traditionally worn by socialites, couture’s fanbase has somewhat shifted over the years, taking in new pockets of wealth from around the globe.  Once described as a dying art, haute couture has had a new lease of life in recent years with Hollywood coming to Paris, hungry for a taste of the most exclusive fashion in the world. The Armani Prive show got its very own Hollywood moment when Jessica Chastain got the Oscar call whilst seated in the front row. Armani has a long history in dressing Hollywood, and the Prive collection has proved incredibly popular. This season’s collection was tailor-made for starlets, with sequinned bodices and incredible beaded gowns in glorious shades of green. The silver chevron gown in particular was a winner, just begging for a chance to shine on the red-carpet.

The most controversial note of the week was struck by Jean Paul Gaultier. Forming an entire collection in tribute to singer Amy Winehouse, from the trademark peroxide sweep in the models’ beehived hair to the pencil skirts worn with attitude, this was a collection with a sole purpose. Celebrating Amy’s unique style, which so neatly dovetailed with her music, Gaultier may have hit the headlines but this act was far from cynical. Gaultier’s collection had a poignancy that hit you right between the eyes, asking us just one question – what if?

While JPG was exploring the past, Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel was setting his sights squarely on the future. The light, airy feel of icy-blue and deepest navy formed the perfect backdrop for Lagerfeld’s newest take on femininity. Drop-waists on dresses, slouchy pockets and hair sculpted into sky-high quiffs – this was Chanel in familiar territory: boy meets girl. A welcome departure from Chanel’s previous post-apocalyptic seasons, this collection was bright, breezy and above all else, very, very cool.

Winning the prize for sheer number of hours spent on the sewing floor, Valentino’s design duo, Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri, took craftsmanship to the next level. With a reported 350 hours spent creating just one piece, the result was a couture show packed with ethereal, heart-stopping detail. Taffeta, lace and organza took centre stage but underpinning the whole collection was the reminder that these dream-like creations were made by hand. Ever y piece was so finely stitched, those who examined the pieces up close at the atelier, had to remind themselves that this was all human endeavour. Piccoli and Chiuri first made their name as accessory designers, and as they told www.style.com, they quickly learned how to ‘tell a big story with a small object.’ It is in the small details that the big picture comes to life, and this is the essence of couture. Piccoli and Chiuri understand very clearly how story-telling in fashion can come down to the smallest stitch.

With Chanel, Valentino, Armani and Versace appearing in such good health, it seems that reports of couture’s demise have been greatly exaggerated: in 2009, haute couture was deemed to be on the brink of extinction. After all, in a financial maelstrom, who would possibly want a blouse at £20,000? But three years later, couture is thriving thanks to new customers in China, Russia and beyond. There has been murmurs about whether this has led to a more consumer-friendly couture, rather than the wild, playful exploration of ideas it was ten years ago, but the deal with couture is that it can be both.  From Riccardo Tisci’s Metropolis-inspired, highly restrained collection to the glamazon excesses at Versace, the beauty of couture is that there is room for every kind of expression. This is no time for half-measures – fashion needs diversity in order to survive. Couture is no longer about indulgence, but fearless, game-changing creativity. Haute Couture has evolved into an entirely different kind of animal, and its timing is perfect.

HELEN TOPE