Colorful Mischief Makers
Elaborate spring and summer haute couture clothes shown went from outrageous nightmares to dreams of beauty with plenty of reality thrown in by old masters like Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld.
These couturiers showed skirts just below the knee or a bit shorter, a few pants and suits. Others who showed this week emphasized wasp waists, many decolletes and much skin.
At Givenchy, designer Alexander McQueen shut out the press and showed for a small clientele, pleading production difficulties as the reason. Others saw his next move to Gucci as a better reason. Givenchy is thus without a design guru--though names like Belgian Olivier Theyskens and Stella McCartney from Chloe are being bandied about.
The nightmare-cartoon element was laid on thickly by John Galliano, Dior’s mischievous cutup. From jet-beaded garter-belt babes with wispy tulle tops to head-dressed American Indian looks, passing by some suggestive secretaries in glasses and not much else, it was a show that scoffed at fashion. Under all the folderol were a couple of cool draped dresses, proving that Galliano is actually a couturier.
A sexy, hard-edge costume look, with a lot of flesh, came up at Versace. Luxury silks and ostrich feathers added a festive touch.
Jean-Paul Gaultier’s draped pink satin corselet dress made star Sophie Dahl look like Miss Piggy, but some of his ideas and execution were great--such as laser-cut fingernail incisions up and down sleeves, skirts and even around trench coats that turned into boleros and dresses.
Several younger couturiers showed off this season, including Franck Sorbier, who went in for a cinematic show featuring a dress like a bodice of lacy, woven horsehair and skirt of ruffled gray tulle.
Chanel’s clothes by Lagerfeld ranged from exquisite cream or pink-flecked silk-tweed suits with eased, slightly flared or stitch-pleated skirts to the knee, jacket-tops tucked into skirts, to feather-light and soft evening gowns--all were feminine and pretty. Especially appealing was the white dance dress--a lace blouse topping a swirly, silver-spangled skirt.
Saint Laurent featured mainly classics with new twists. The fun of the collection was in the feather-light organdy blouses, puffy sleeves and eyelet details, plus some luscious fruit embroidery by the house of Lesage.
