Our most noteworthy haute couture designers - think Chanel and Givenchy - are breathing life back into this 'dying art'.
Text by Alannah O'Neill
THE ONE TO WATCH
GIAMBATTISTA VALLI’s couture debut was one of the most anticipated shows. He presented a collection of fanciful, sculptural and feminine cocktail frocks to a posh, celebrity-packed crowd. He later said that the belts, which were often paired with delicate chiffon gowns, were meant to suggest “the arms of a man around his woman.”
THE COMEBACK KID
THE COLLECTOR
Toronto-based socialite SYLVIA MANTELLA’s first couture piece was a vintage Pierre Balmain corset from a Paris boutique. “It wasn’t made for me,” she says. “I’ve never worn it—but it was so exquisite, and it peaked my interest in couture.” Mantella, who frequently attends the Paris shows, has an extensive and enviable collection. Her most recent acquisition is a lavish coral Giambattista Valli gown. “The dress is outstanding. They took my measurements, and I’ll be going for my second fitting soon.” While some gasp at couture’s extravagant price tag—$10,000 and up—Mantella doesn’t flinch. “Some people collect Renoirs,” she says. “My husband collects ancient fossils. I collect couture. It’s important to support the craft.”
THE HISTORIAN
Giovanni Bedin went back to the archives to create his collection, channelling ladies fashions from the 1850s that made the HOUSE OF WORTH a name synonymous with couture. Inspired by panniers and structured cages, each look took more than 300 hours to create. A quick history lesson: Charles Frederick Worth, who is known as the “father of haute couture,” staged the first fashion shows, pioneered the idea of fashion seasons and was one of the first male designers to create fashions for women, including dresses for the masses.
Some more noteworthy haute couture designers on the next page...
