Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2012/2013

Presenting next winter’s haute couture collections. In the basement of the Palais de Chaillot, Giorgio Armani presents his couture line, Armani Privé. His guests are absolute fans !
Let’s not forget extravagance. The materials are thick, almost unrefined, the little hats were designed by the Englishman Philippe Treacy. At Armani, it’s a masculine allure that channels femininity.
At Jean Paul Gaultier’s it’s hot, very hot. The guests bake in the furnace of the grand salon. The designer was a member of the jury at Cannes, and within the « Un Certain Regard » selection he saw the film by Sylvie Verheyde « Confession d’un enfant du siècle» by Alfred de Musset starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Pete Doherty. The dandy artist has inspired a women’s collection, but not just that.
For the wedding gown, masculine-feminine or feminine-masculine ?
Gender games ! That’s to say, the white tailcoat turned inside out, slipped on in a way resembling a dress and fastening at the back, but with a wings-like neckline, worn over an organdy petticoat. Masculine… feminine…. romantic all the same.
At Gaultier, men can also don evening gowns.
Young Yiqing Yin presents her collection for the third time. Wrinkled creme outfits, pleated stitches, bubbling belts, feathered collars, this is her fourth collection. The label is young, but its DNA is already powerful.
All the while, in the schools, it’s party time. First, second and third-year students at l’Atelier Chardon Savard put on catwalk shows. It’s festive, dynamic, it makes us want to go back to school.
All you see here is but the tip of the iceberg ; these designers-in-training are also learning to manage a business!