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 runway in the City of Lights.
DAY 3: January 23, 2019
Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier’s show took place at the brand’s headquarters and had celebrities like Irina Shayk, Kat Graham, Derek Blasberg, Amanda Lear, and Catherine Deneuve sitting first row, with the latter being the one who set the beginning of the show because her presence was one of the most expected. The collection was inspired by Japan and the ocean, and we could see pleated skirts, dresses with transparencies and pointy shoulder pads, which the designer defined as “like the ones from the ’80s, but exaggerated in a David Bowie way.” Artist Dita Von Teese shined on the catwalk wearing a dress with transparencies and black polka dots tight to the waist in the very best Gaultier style. The Japanese aesthetic could be seen in the pleats, and the aquatic elements were there in the blue and aquamarine hues.
Ronald van der Kemp
The collection was designed with fabric bought from a Parisian factory that had closed down, and it transmitted a clear message about the uniqueness and specialness of couture. We saw exotic evening dresses and different options for suits, but my personal favorite was a two-piece denim look. Van der Kemp also debuted his shoe line.
Valentino
Valentino’s collection was inspired by flowers, with each of the designs carrying the name of a flower chosen by the seamstresses. The show started with a dress with a surreal hood in the shape of a pile of rosees that covered the model’s head, and was then followed by a series of dramatic silhouettes, bold colors, and floral prints. The collection had fringes, ruffles, and feathers adding to the appliques in the models’ eyelashes that completed the poetic and romantic spirit of the line, displayed on models like Natalia Vodianova and Maria Carla Boscono. At the end of the show, the great Naomi Campbell walked down the runway with an organza dress with voluminous sleeves and a ruffled skirt and was acclaimed by the audience among which were Raf Simons, Clare Waight Keller, Christian Loubutin, Giambattista Valli, Luca Guadagnino, Celine Dion, Sofia Coppola and Rami Malek.