All About Haute Couture Spring 2021

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by Shreya S

Alexandre Vauthier: A collection perfect for your post-pandemic rager. Even with all Vauthier signatures, the collection was a bit out of touch. It did feature a pair of embellished-feathered flare pants paired with a white tank was quite a pandemic-appropriate outfit. A sliver fringe look is sure to be seen in a concert soon and the all-red leather look was racecar chic.

Alexis Mabille: Sadly a quite underwhelming set of clothes, the collection was borderline tacky and could be passed off as a diffusion line by Sherri Hill for women over 50. A taupe cape gown was beautiful silhouette but the fabric looked curtain like and the finale two looks were just horrendous. Gun to my head: There was a wasabi green gown which was decent along with a daring black tuxedo-inspired gown.

Area: Area Couture is here! The show touched heights in terms of diversity and inclusivity. Even though the collection has some pretty nice looks it wasn’t as brilliant as I expected it to be. I felt Area had some dreamier look in their previous RTW shows. a few looks seemed off brand, but there was a multicolor crystal look that was simply stunning. The crystal ribcage dresses were quite intriguing, the eccentric silhouettes were complemented flawlessly by the constant crystals.

Armani Privé: A classic Armani collection, it began with a series of beautiful suits with some mild pagoda shoulders. A gorgeous red gown reminded me of a Manish Malhotra lenghna. Some romantically airy translucent gowns were were all things magical. The show closed with a stunning cobalt blue gown of pressed tulle. Maybe it was the drama, the colors, or the sheer extravagance, this collection was weirdly reminiscent of a particular movie, Om Shanti Om.

Chanel: Oh Virginie, what are you doing. I feel like Chanel is planning a conspiracy theory where they’ll disappoint us to great lengths with everything they have so that we might appreciate whatever averages stuff they come out with later. Yes that’s too dramatic but it is important to convince yourself that this isn’t real. The tank top Chanel suits were horrifying at best and the rest was even more disappointing. A translucent white dress was kind of timeless along with a tiered floral peach dress. The final wedding look was a satin embroidered dress was quite exquisite.

Christian Dior: The inspiration for this collection was tarot cards and looks like a little bit of luck trickled down to the clothes. Without doubt, this is my least hated Dior collection by Maria Grazia. It did have some really nice looks and it felt like Christian Dior Haute Couture for a change. Of course, there were some hideous ensembles but it sure is a step up. The intricacies were stunning and almost rewarding to look at. A grey sheer shimmery gown was a MGC classic and quite beautiful. and a gold cape gown worn by Levi Achthoven was absolutely magnificent.

Fendi: Fendi Couture by Kim Jones is here and as much as I tried to like it I didn’t. There was a white gown that was quite pristine. The collection closed with the celeb closer Naomi Campbell in a marble print gown which was quite nice. Most of the collection seemed off-brand and didn’t seem to exude anything. There was a significant lack of fur was pleasant but Fendi without fur seems a little baffling. The highlight of the show was the set design which was kind of magical.

Giambattista Valli: Tulle lord is here. GV is deeply rooted in traditional couture and doesn’t try to pretend something it’s not. Giving us some extravagant looks in classic shades. One pale pink coat gown with red appliques was a bit mature and quite nice. Even though the collection was nice it was also quite forgettable.

Iris van Herpen: Iris Van Herpen spoiled us with her marvel and brilliance so it’s hard to expect anything but the unexpected. A more colorful palette this season and a slightly more commercial approach as well. Among many looks, there was a gorgeous purple gown which kind of stole my heart. A minidress in all shades of blue was absolutely stunning and kind of hot.

Rahul Mishra: The inspiration for this collection was ‘mushrooms’ and it resulted in a wonderfully grounded collection. A much more toned more earthy color palette paired with intricate embroidery. The was a blue trench that gave me all the hope I needed. Each look had layers of details highlighting the work of master artisans of Rahul Mishra. A tawny brown gown with white 3D embroidered daisies was quite a pleasure.

Ronald van der Kemp: This collection was quite unpredictable, each look was more radical than the last. “Even from the lowest of the low, we can make something cool and interesting,” Ronald says while talking of using leftovers to create couture. This raises a point where the conventional notions of couture are rightly being challenged, primarily due to their lack of sustainability and often realism. All in all this was a show filled with quite interesting looks and and I’d take that over a ball of tulle.

S.R. Studio. LA. CA.: Quite an intriguing collection by Sterling Ruby. A pink-blue denim look was quite beautifully made and so was the mint denim paint-splattered ensemble with coordinated accessories. A more traditionally feminine emerald green dress was lovely, A red supersized suit was a favorite and so was the bright orange plaid one. A much-needed switch from sequins and ruffles and is this a hopeful step towards Street Couture?

Schiaparelli: Schiaparelli is changing the Couture and Thank god for that. A vivid pink gown that seemed to be held by the model’s earrings was stunning and a brown leather molded minidress with a coordinated bag wass masterfully done. Not only he takes Elsa Schiaparelli’s surrealism to new levels, but he also cements his place in Schiaparelli and Couture.

Valentino: It wasn’t as dramatic as Pierpaolo’s previous collections but the sheer thoughtfulness of it was satisfying to watch. Vivid colors shielded by neutrals and the finale gave us hope in form of sequins and shimmer. Gold faces by Pat Mcgrath were captivating and the sky-high metallic boots were an exciting surprise not usually associated with couture. The fluidity and subtle boldness of this collection gave minimalism a fresh angle.

Viktor & Rolf: Upcycling was quite evident in this collection, it was chaotic yet cohesive. “Warriors, but computer game ones,” Viktor said to WWD about the collection. Ruffles, lace, ribbons, tulle and a plenty of patchwork was enough to leave us drooling, an addled drool perhaps. Though it is always fascinating to imagine the courage of a woman wearing Viktor & Rolf Couture.