Jean Paul Gaultier  

Another day, another master of couture at Paris Haute Couture Week.  

Wednesday was Jean Paul Gaultier’s turn to take centre stage. The show opened with tough denim pieces adorned with jewels. Shoulders were rounded, legs were wide, and the busts were sculpted to perfection with characteristic Gaultier sexuality.  

Hats were key to the show; with tasselled pirate hats, wide-brimmed worker hats and elegant feathered hats complimenting matching ensembles.  

The show did not exhibit any cohesive theme, but that didn’t matter. Each look showcased Gaultier’s expert craftsmanship. There was a crisp white skirt suit, finished with mesh detailing, that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Lady at Ascot, followed by a simple blue shift dress topped off with a structural head piece befitting the Statue of Liberty. Pirate looks featured heavily, as well as tasselled Pocahontas inspired pieces.  Indeed, there was a real melee of influences apparent in the quick succession of ensembles.  

What connected them all though was a certain Gaultier je ne sais quoi. From the palm tree headgear, and the leather tasselled skirt, to the sculpted breast plates and pirate earrings, every look was instantly identifiable as Gaultier because of the heady mix of eccentricity and sexuality.  

Elie Saab  

Happy ever after was the theme at Elie Saab. The show opened with a fairy princess dress straight out of a little girl’s fantasy. It was fit for a queen, with the widest of skirts, printed in a gorgeous array of pastel shades.

Saab’s collection featured extravagant but soft, feminine pieces suitable for any occasion of high-importance. In delicate shades of grey, nude, cream and dusty rose, his lace gowns complete with flowing trains were literally floating on air.  

With iridescent appliqué flowers decorating the sheerest of gowns, and lots of shorter length mini-dresses, his pieces captured all the innocence and beauty of the girly ingénue. But Saab also delivered womanly pieces with high voltage sex appeal. This was evident in the slashed-to-the-thigh pieces, or those dresses with sculpted busts that gave to die for cleavage.  

In summary, Saab created a collection with all women in mind, and delivered a crowd-pleasing array.  

Valentino  

Avatar, the screen phenomenon du jour, was something of an inspiration at Valentino.  

It was visible from the flashes of blue war paint. It was also spotted in the tribal wrap garments, made of delicate chiffon woven around the body as a scanty covering. The colour palette was of acid lemon, shocking magenta and vivid aqua, creating the feeling of a futuristic warscape.  

Bandage wrapping was used on cigarette pants and body-con bodices. Stripes of contrasting colours also gave a warped camouflage effect. There were burnt orange chiffon jumpsuits with flounces of excess material, and jazzy beaded mini-dresses paired with bejewelled tight trousers. The beading gave the appearance of scales when combined with super-tight body-con pieces.  

To conclude, it was all very out of this world, and a complete contrast to previous Valentino Couture collections from Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. 

All images from Style.com 

Becky Cope