Before casting an overwhelming influencing light on fashion and style, Haute Couture is exactly what its name suggests: a higher state of sartorial things. The sublime elevation of wearable items during the Spring Summer 2014 season happened in France this month.
Above all exhilarating sewing and cutting masterful execution, some general outlines were noticed and, the most shocking of them all were sneakers in Haute Couture! Both Karl Lagerfeld and Raf Simons included sneakers in the designs they sent out the catwalk for Chanel and Christian Dior respectively.
1. Haute Couture Sneakers
There were many athletic attires influences on the catwalk (hoodies chez Atelier Versace) and the footwear was just one of its manifestations. And the one that everyone (and their mother) noticed. Because – admittedly in the hope that we will, one day, hit the gym – we all own a pair of sneakers, right? So why not bring them out, flaunt them and get a good comfort walk while we’re at it? Mind you, better be girly sneakers like the kind we’ve seen chez Chanel and Dior or else you’ll look like an eternal gym runaway!
a closeup of the Couture Sneakers reveal intricate feminine details for Chanel (left) and Dior (right)
Grace Jones inspired looks with hoodies walked down the catwalk for Atelier Versace
See also: Details from the Armani Prive Spring 2014 Collection!
2. Haute Couture Pants
One of the most fascinating clothing items ever created, the pants, received a well deserved highlighted position in the Spring 2014 Couture collections. The paramount sartorial execution of a well tailored pair of pants is not to be minimized. I hereby salute and embrace the haute representation of pants on almost each and every runway this season!
it’s hard to beat the elegance of a perfectly tailor pair of pants (from left to right): Alexandre Vauthier, Ulyana Sergeenko, Maison Martin Margiela, Schiaparelli
Zuhair Murad designed quite a few pairs of pants ready to hit the Red Carpet (and more)
Armani Prive (left) included a wonderful pantsuit with delicate embroidery, just like Valentino Couture (middle) and Alexis Mabille (right)
classic glamour with jumpsuits from Dior (left) and Atelier Versace (middle) and edgy-casual couture from Bouchra Jarrar (right)
3. Haute Couture Bows
Girly, lovely bows were pretty much in every Couture collection for the Spring 2014 Season. Maybe in a conjugated effort to enlighten the omnipresent athletic coordinates, the designers included a bow or more bow details. Be it in jewelry (Dior) or clothing (Giambattista Valli, Viktor&Rolf) the bow is certified couture value!
so many girly bows chez Dior – the delicate bow jewelry will most definitely be a huge commercial success!
Viktor&Rolf presented their special collection on Ballerinas! The girly prints broke the edgy minimalism of the looks
bows decorating the neckline chez Chanel (left), the bustier of a mini dress chez Giambattista Valli and a beautiful black bow on the head chez Schiaparelli (right)
See also: Red Carpet ready looks from Zuhair Murad’s Spring 2014 Couture collection!
4. Haute Couture Flowers
Adding that much needed refined glory of Haute Couture’s endless working hours for a skirt embellishment to look just right, flowers were either applique or embroidered in many looks. With thread, beads or sequins, the nature was embedded in Couture (Valentino, Dior or birds chez Ulyana Sergeenko).
amazing embroideries with beautiful flowers: (from left to right) Chanel, Elie Saab, Giambattista Valli
a closer look at Raf Simons’s designs for Dior Couture reveal an entire garden of tiny flowers and the Valentino Couture capes (right) reveal a flurry of butterflies and flowers
Schiaparelli’s stars headband is dreamy while the starry printed coat from Maison Martin Margiela was artistically baroque
5. Haute Couture Art
Of course, fashion is an art in itself, just as exclusive, unforgiving, consuming and luxurious as any other. But! When it generously chooses to share the spotlight with graphic arts (and other arts as Viktor&Rolf decided to use real-life ballerinas to present their collection) it’s a magical moment!
Schiaparelli’s multicultural collection was heavy in artistic details (left) while Alexis Mabille used a world of paper butterflies to present a very dressy Haute Couture collection (right)
paintings were transformed in fabric print and then developed in an amazing collection signed Maison Martin Margiela
Raf Simons included artistic medallions in his dresses bustier, among fabulously sewn together flower petals
Making an impressive visual impact, the paintings transferred on fabric chez Maison Martin Margiela were an amazing manifestation of this bond between arts. Nature invaded the runway in the Oriental inspired designs imagined by the creative power duo fueling the Valentino house with critics accolades season after season, not to mention the models seeing butterflies in Alexis Mabille’s Grecian presentation. (images Getty/styledotcom)
Viktor and Rolf’s ballerinas and Valentino Couture’s oriental motifs brought an Haute air to the couture presentations
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