Revival on the Runway at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2021
Balenciaga and Pyer Moss make fashionable entrances to the Haute Couture scene, while shows from couture regulars were a much-needed return to normalcy.
With much of the globe still navigating post-pandemic realities, Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2021 continued virtual and lookbook presentations that the industry has become accustomed to while also housing a selection of vibrant in-person shows. Whether it was at established houses or younger labels, this season saw designers return to their artistic roots with garments harkening back to the heyday of Haute Couture.
Billowing gowns and elaborately detailed suits were classic go-to silhouettes for Christian Dior, Chanel, and Balenciaga, while cutting-edge couture took center stage at Schiaparelli and Iris Van Herpen. One of the highlights of the jam-packed week was Balenciaga's Haute Couture return—the brand's first couture presentation in over 50 years. Also making its couture debut was New York brand Pyer Moss, with Creative Director Kerby Jean-Raymond presenting a forward-thinking interpretation of couture.
Maria Grazia Chiuri's Fall/Winter 2021 Haute Couture collection for Christian Dior was both a return to the house codes established by Chiuri as well as a wider sartorial reference to the famed DNA of the French house. The brand's first in-person Haute Couture show since Spring/Summer 2020 saw the house revisit several sartorial touchpoints—Bar jackets, embroidery, and flowing outerwear—while also continuing a distinct sense of wearability that has become synonymous with Chiuri's Christian Dior. Like Chanel, Christian Dior's collection was a stunning return to normalcy. With classic silhouettes and house codes, both brands toyed with distinct aesthetics that have cemented the pair as couture leaders.
Opting for lookbook and virtual formats this season were the forever visionary Iris Van Herpen and Schiaparelli. Inspired by mobility, Iris Van Herpen enlisted the help of skydiver Domitille Kiger who fashionably lept from a plane wearing an emerald blue gown in a stunning video displaying the futuristic collection. Creative Director Daniel Rossberry continued to revitalize Schiaparelli with quirky designs and a particular know-how that has catapulted the brand into the forefront of the industry. Though the two labels presented forward-thinking garments not usually associated with the standards of traditional couture—laser cut gowns, cone bra outerwear, elaborate accessories—they both continued to assert themselves as modern proprietors of taste and craft within the field.
Kim Jones' statuesque collection at Fendi was also a sight to behold. Inspired by Hellenistic motifs, Jones produced a swirling display of delicate embroidery, lace notions, and silhouettes that sculpted models like ancient marble. Standouts from the show included sheer paneled gowns and draped pieces. As with many this season, antiquity and historicism were major inspirations for Jones who produced his second haute couture collection at the Italian house.
A perennial mainstay of Haute Couture week, Chanel debuted a classic collection of tweed separates, intricate evening wear, and of course, a stunning bridal gown at the Palais Galliera. Continuing a common theme across fashion week, Creative Director Virgine Viard referenced the past while also presenting a picturesque glimpse into a post-pandemic future. Inspired by Impressionist portraiture and the iconography of Gabrielle Chanel, Viard employed iconic house codes for a memorable presentation completed by Margaret Qualley closing the show as a stunning Chanel bride.
Known for over the top couture concoctions, Viktor & Rolf unveiled a collection of exaggerated gowns and outerwear inspired by royalty. Creative directors Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren wanted to depict hierarchies within institutional monarchies, achieved through layering. Each immaculately constructed look consisted of three layers—a dress, coat, and sash.
One of the most buzzed about moments of the week was Balenciaga's first couture collection in over 50 years. Set behind the backdrop of the brand's original couture salon, Creative Director Demna Gvasalia reworked silhouettes and house codes established by label founder Cristóbal Balenciaga. Dispersed throughout the collection were classic Gvasalia pieces—denim, hoodies, and ruched details—that proved the designer's multi-faceted vision for the Balenciaga and served as a glimpse into an ever-changing and revitalized fashion industry.
Holding his couture debut at Villa Lewaro—the Hudson River mansion previously owned by Madam C.J. Walker, the first self-made female African American millionaire—Kerby Jean-Raymond is set to make history with his buzzy label Pyer Moss. Jean-Raymond became the first Black American designer invited by the Chambre Syndicale to present during Haute Couture week. After a two-hour delay due to pouring rain, the designer took to Instagram to postpone the show until Saturday, announcing that a portion of the audience will be open to the public. As with everything that Pyer Moss does, expect a fashion moment for the books.
