“A plunge into the ocean, a search for sunken treasure,” the show notes read at Elie Saab this season. The lulling sounds of waves greeted guests as they entered the show space in the Tuileries gardens. The palette included lagoon green, sea-mist, coral, and a deep blue that was inspired by the Amalfi coast. The show opened with some floor-length, leg-revealing tropical floral pieces that had an ever so slight sportswear vibe, complete with hints of black and white stripes. There were “casual” aqua shorts looks and (gasp!) even some flats on this runway. Saab was flirting with new looks for day, branching out a bit from his usual knock-’em-dead evening wear.
Of course, eveningwear was still the focus. Ombré gowns done in coral that cascaded into yellow or Amalfi blue, fading into lagoon green were stunning. If we were reading front row attendee Grace Coddington’s gestures correctly, she was taking mental notes, nodding her head in approval, and whispering to Tonne Goodman as these looks floated by. Perhaps we’ll be seeing the gowns in Vogue’s Spring issues? It was pure unapologetic feminine glam per usual at Saab, despite the sportier references. As more and more designers are putting their girls in chunky platforms, cocoon coats, slouchy pants, and so on, you have to appreciate a designer that sticks to his guns about making a woman look beautiful, plain and simple.