Sofia Achaval’s Complete Fall 2019 Paris Couture Diary

The Daily Front Row‘s Paris correspondent, Sofia Achaval de Montaigu, attends the shows at Couture Week and lets us know what is going down on the biggest runways in the City of Lights.

DAY 3:

Maison Margiela Artisanal
Guests stood to watch Maison Margiela’s couture show, which was held at the house’s atelier. The new collection was inspired by a horse named Blue, due to the fact that John Galliano spent three months doing therapeutic horse riding. As such, every look was finished with riding boots. The designer left wild excess behind as a protest of excessive consumerism. Men wore garter belts and see-through pants with student-like sweaters; meanwhile women sported voluminous dresses tight at the waist with drawings replicated in the arms and faces to finish the looks. My favorite outfit was a strapless balloon-shaped dress where the arms of the models were painted as well as the face, creating a great visual effect.

Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier presented his “Fur Free” collection to guests like Christina Aguilera, who sat first row wearing a silk dress with a corset and a set of rings spelling the designer’s surname. Catherine Deneuve and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Violet Chachki and Miss Fame were also in attendance. Furs were replaced by animal print prints and feathers in extravagant forms such as necklines and hunting hats. Dresses where combined with capes — which contributed to the drama — while a multicolored onesie with feathered sleeves stood out thanks to the metallic mask that the model wore. But my favorite design was without a doubt a lime gauze dress with the iconic Gaultier cone bra.

Valentino
Valentino closed Couture week with a tribute to its atelier staff. Ahead of the show pictures and videos of the people who worked on the collection were screened, showcasing a new social media filter that replicates the feather eyelashes created by Pat McGrath.

Naomi Campbell, Celine Dion, Heidi Klum, Christian Louboutin, and Gwyneth Paltrow all sat front row at the Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild. The venue was transformed into an amazing winter garden with plants. This was translated into the collection through stamps, embroidery, and floral appliqués that added volume. Gigi Hadid was spotted on the runway in a violet dress with a big bow that covered her arms and an embroidered maxi-skirt — one of the fiercest looks of the collection. Laura Hutton also walked the show in a totally epic moment. For the big finale, Valentino’s atelier workers came out with Pierpaolo Piccioli to take a bow. Nina Simone’s “Wild is the Wind” was playing. It was a very touching moment that had everyone tearing up.