The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture
Words Ayokunmi Macaulay
Firstly, let’s talk about the lion. I’m of course talking about one of my favourite designers, Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli.
Whenever I think Schiaparelli, I think of spectacle craftsmanship, the feeling of whimsical and of course the Couture 23 show was no exception.
We saw gorgeous supermodels and celebrities don the front row in these spectacles of fashion, most notably Kylie Jenner and Irina Shayk in a black floor length gown.
Sounds simple right? Except there was a life-size lion’s head mounted on the bodice of the dress.
Roseberry explained that “The animals are one of the four literal references that I took from Dante’s inferno” and while social media is divided on how ethical and controversial the looks are, personally I’m a major fan. I think it was a bold move and definitely, one of the most iconic looks of the season.
While on the topic of Schiaparelli, I must make an honourable mention to some of the other Roseberry looks that depict strong, masculine silhouettes with a touch of femininity added with sheer lace bodices and cropped Pearl embellished jackets. Schiaparelli, always for your viewing pleasure.
Next, we move on to the witch. Now there’s two ways we can go about this, there’s the good witch and the bad witch so let’s talk about both.
Mugler’s FW23 collection screams Bad Witch, feel free to replace the W with a B. In this collection we see some of the typical trademarks of Cad Waller’s Mugler including illusion mesh, cut-outs and the infamous contouring silhouette made to empower, sexi-fy and Muglerize its wearer.
If I was a witch, Mugler is what I would be wearing to turn my enemies into stone. The show opened with a leather ensemble comprised of a barely there bralet revealing more than it covers accompanied by draped leather trousers and chrome accessories. But my top choice to break some hearts would be (Look 16 below). I absolutely adore anything long and billowing and I just feel like a look like this is perfect for any Bad Witch’s dramatic entrance.
Onto the Good Witch. After all, every villain needs a hero. Our hero for this season is Zuhair Murad, his collection is giving major haute couture Good Witch. From the jewel encrusted blazers to the wide brim hats and then back to the feather-trim sequinned gowns, Murad really hit the mark.
The entire collection oozes effortless, ethereal romance. The embellished cut out blazer and the hat & scarf combo (Look1) is telling me to run off to the South of France and delve into a whirlwind romance with a Parisian beau. Let’s also pay attention to the use of colours like lime green, orange and pink to bring life to the collection alongside the plumes of feathers and crystals wrapped around the bodies of the models.
Last but certainly not least, introducing the Wardrobe. Viktor and Rolf’s aim was to show the modern day woman breaking free from antiquated ideas of femininity and womanhood. The show started with what seemed like a dress if the ordinary woman’s wardrobe but as the show went on, it became
clear to me that the Wardrobe indeed does have a mind of its own as the clothes start to break away from the models bodies starting off slightly askew and then by the final look ending up completely upside down.
I’m sure we’ve all seen the iconic images of the blue princess dress turn on its head as the model struts confidently down the runway. I’m not 100% sure how wearable this specific look is but what I am sure of is that, this look will be remembered for years to come. Also, couture isn’t about wearability if we’re being honest, wearing it is more of a “beauty is pain” endeavour with any hopes of comfort or functionality thrown out the window.
These are just a very select few of my favoured runway collections. I haven’t yet decided which persona to take on yet, whether it’s the lion, the witch or the wardrobe but don’t be surprised if you see me alternating between all of them.
