Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Fashion, Politics to Dedicate 2017 to Women | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2016-17 by Lebanese international fashion designer Elie Saab.


London-While all Parisians have transformed into political analysts talking about Brexit and its repercussions on lifestyle and fashion, fashion designers and the U.K. said that the coming years will be dedicated to women.

Britain has made its decision and appointed a woman, “Theresa May,” as a prime minister for the first time since Thatcher.

Fashion, on the other hand, celebrated femininity through romantic outfits shining with optimism, drifting away from a reality burdened by economic regression and terrorist attacks around the world. The fashion shows of Dior, Atelier Versace, Armani, Ralph & Russo, Giambattista Valli, Elie Saab and others have transformed Paris into an oasis to escape; not only from the sad, complicated reality, but also from the trending “sports fashion”. Most designers directed their creativity towards the golden old days, when women used to fully celebrate their femininity without being accused of lavishness.

This season, Paris disregarded the worsening economic conditions and all the drama to introduced unique designs made of extravagant fabrics that would take you to wonderland.

Inspired by the fifties, designers have gone above and beyond to meet the demands of today’s classic women. Christian Dior overcame the World War II’s austerity to return women’s stolen femininity. All designers introduced masterpieces that required thousands of work hours and many meters of fancy fabrics worth hundreds of thousands dollars.

Valentino, Giambattista Valli, Alexis Mabile, Victor & Rolf chose the Marie Antoinette and the Elizabethan era in their collections with many ballgown skirts, high necklines, and frill sleeves. John Galliano also traveled back in time, particularly to the era of Napoleon Bonaparte and introduced for Maison Margiela a revolutionist collection, unlike the previous ones, which featured dramatic and surrealistic works.

From the first day of the show, Atelier Versace emphasized its nostalgia for the past. Donatella Versace provided various designs filled with seduction and femininity, ranging from Haute Couture dresses to prêt-a-porter coats.

Profiting from his wide experience with feminism and romance, Elie Saab always succeeds in giving women exactly what they dream of. Saab was inspired by old New York City and focused on volumes, folds, and unique motifs in his designs. He also focused on details like heavy three-dimensional floral print embroidery, and used classic fabrics like silk, tulle and velvet. It is worth mentioning that for this season, the Lebanese

designer has also introduced party dresses for young girls. Child models walked the runway alongside older counterparts wearing miniature versions of their gowns.

In Atelier Armani’s show, no one can accuse Giorgio Armani of preferring romance or drama on modern elegance. Armani opened his show with a woman ensemble composed of a masculine jacket and pants tailored with feminine fabrics, before he moved to velvet dresses. In his collection, he focused on calm colors like pearl white, light pink, and sky blue.

Ralph & Russo’s collection had also played on emotions especially nostalgia by recalling the fifties and seventies. The designers sought to attract women’s attention and introduced fit dresses, skirts, and pants along with heavy beading of crystals and pearl in addition to three-dimensional floral prints and feathers.

Designers including Elie Saab, Armani and Ralph & Russo have completed their lines with accessories, and introduced collections of clutches, shoes and hats that fit the Haute Couture fans.

Unlike the previous designers who recalled the past, Jean Paul Gaultier preferred nature and presented a collection in which colors like dark green and wooden-inspired brown have played a very important role. His show was calm and focused on designs that celebrate feminine standards by highlighting the waist and bust lines. Although the collection perfectly fits the European bourgeoisie, it missed factors of vitality and glamour that distinguished the other shows of the week.

Giambattista Valli has also chosen nature as a source of inspiration. Yet, unlike Gaultier, he included many vivid colors in his collection and reduced exaggeration by introducing different designs like baby-dolls dresses, and others inspired from the fifties with puffy sleeves. Valli opened his show with feminine white designs then moved to long dresses tailored with black, red, and sky blue Muslin. He also used fur and concluded the show with three dramatic exceptional dresses.