Fashion

Top 5 trends from Paris Haute Couture AW17

That's haute

07.07.2017

By Wei Yeen Loh

Top 5 trends from Paris Haute Couture AW17

Shoulder-ing on

It seems like the 1980s remain a very fond decade for some designers this season, with bold, almost exaggerated shoulder silhouettes emboldened by shoulder pads for an armour-like aesthetic. Armani Privé gave us plenty of evening-appropriate options (especially this vivid pink feathered top) while Jean Paul Gaultier and Donatella Versace had warrior women in minds with their waist-defining masterpieces. 

 

Party in the front, business in the back

This trend is for the girl who intends to flaunt her pins but not eschew the extravagance of a full-length gown. The short-long hemline remains a favourite for Autumn/Winter 2017—Ralph & Russo’s tiered metallic fringe gown is a head-turner in its own right, while Georges Chakra’s polka-dotted confection was one part flirty, three parts fun. Elsewhere, Giambattista Valli went with a contemporary spin by way of a floral crop top and frothy skirt pairing. 

 

The future of florals

No couture week is complete without the most mind-blowing details that are laboriously handcrafted by couturiers. This season’s pièce de résistance is three-dimensional florals—because embroidered or printed motifs can’t quite cut it anymore. From bridal-worthy blooms at Georges Chakra to tulle ball gowns with sizable rosettes at Chanel, florals can be groundbreaking, especially elevated when it’s for the fall season. Lagerfeld also flexed his couture prowess at Fendi—creating imaginative flowers handmade from various materials such as mink, sable and velvet.

 

Borrowed from the boys

Couture wear doesn’t always necessitate elaborate evening gowns and swathes of fabric. Designers borrowed a few elements from the boys’ closet this fall in the form of tuxedo jackets and tailored suits that the modern-day Katherine Hepburn would pull off effortlessly. Maria Grazia Chiuri’s power woman lineup incorporated menswear fabrics in shades of Dior gray, while Ulyana Sergeenko’s 1940s-inspired suits and coats were incredibly chic in a Hollywood noir manner.


New-age opera gloves

A dose of high-octane glamour was served on the runway by way of opera gloves. The retro vibe was punctuated with present-day elements, including ruched, polka-dotted merch from Maison Margiela, Schiaparelli’s sheer gloves, and Yanina Couture’s edgy leather pair that complemented its wintry white ensemble.

 

Gilded crowns

Apart from baby’s breath hair adornments at Rodarte, gilded crowns that evoked a fairy-in-the-woods sentiment were a recurring accessory as well. Elie Saab had tribal-esque headgear inspired by Game of Thrones; while Zuhair Murad and Guo Pei went for subtle, Grecian goddess floral hair accessories.

 

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