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July 12, 2015

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Designers take time to find their inspiration

ELIE Saab

Lebanese designer Elie Saab’s autumn/winter collection of evening gowns bore all the translucence and intricate embroidery for which he has become known.

The opulent dresses were a throwback to Saab’s work in the 1990s, and the designer said his original gowns were “reinterpreted to evoke the glistening, golden palaces of Byzantium.” Embroidered vines and foliage covered a variety of dresses in lace, silk tulle and chiffon.

A gold, sleeveless wedding gown with a voluminous skirt, long train and lace veil was a reminder of the gold Saab dress worn by his wife Claudine at their wedding, 25 years ago this month.

Chanel

A 3-D printed take on Coco Chanel’s famed skirt-suit jacket was a highlight of Chanel’s bright, high-tech show. The quilted jackets were completely seamless and seamstress-less — created by feeding creative director Karl Lagerfeld’s sketches into a computer program.

Looking back as well as forward, a 1980s flavor lingered in a largely black-and-white show, with oversized truncated jackets, large square shoulders, epaulettes and dramatic lapels.

Designs loosened up toward the end, with feathered fringing adorning long cocktail dresses, evoking the 1920s Flapper era.

Ralph & Russo

Up-and-coming British house Ralph & Russo certainly doesn’t do things by half, as showcased by the no-holds-barred glamor of their show. Split dresses, Balkan-style embroideries, huge satin trains, a traffic-stopping gold bustier gown with floor-sweeping panels in the skirt and a pink pearl feathered cape all featured.

While there seemed to be no common theme — it all made for real couture drama.

Valli

Italian designer Valli made a deft play with shape in his highly feminine, highly organic collection, which showed rare artistry.

Swirling organic decorations in embroidered coats merged visually with beautiful 20-centimeter tear-drop-shaped earrings.

In some gowns, embroidered flowers graced the bust and hips of full organza skirts, as if the wind had just blown them from a nearby tree.




 

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