By Sara Fabek Zovko
Couture Week 2024 has given us much to talk about — here’s some of it!
Couture Fashion Week 2024 has embodied the craftsmanship and artistry that the week is renowned for. The exquisite runways we’ve seen over the week have provided us with the opportunity to talk about its numerous highlights.
Miss Sohee
Courtesy of Miss Sohee
Inspired by neglected items with an interesting history, Sohee Park unveiled a collection that told a story throughout the show. Despite the vast difference between each look, the collection created the familiar feeling of looking through one's beloved keepsakes. With an emphasis on structure and fitted corseted silhouettes, each piece was accented with various elements, such as a cascade of flowers and varied geometric designs. The collection created a beautiful unique blend of originality and nostalgia, leaving a significant mark on the week.
Jean Paul Gaultier x Simone Rocha
Dominique Maitre/WWD
Simone Rocha’s first haute couture collection for Jean Paul Gaultier has bridged a gap between romanticism and modernity. Whilst creating looks that are inarguably JPG, Rocha also stayed true to her own design codes, which included the appearance of pink ribbons, pearls and crystal-encrusted beauty looks on the models. Creating pieces that were effortlessly feminine with a touch of playfulness and daring in them. An active nod to both 1800s dress structures and JPG’s classic looks, Rocha’s first Paris couture collection was a hit!
Maison Margiela
Giovanni Giannoni/ WWD
Perhaps one of the most talked about shows of the week, the Maison Margiela couture show presented by John Galliano was a mixture of fantasy, steampunk and porcelain perfection. With the use of models of varied body types, Galliano’s collection progressed from dark, almost dystopian looks to fairylike transparent ensembles and lighter colours. The finale of the show left the audience with doll-like silhouettes and, of course, Gwendoline Christie closing the show in a sheer, structured gown with a rubber overlay and makeup that created a porcelain-like effect, which took a year to achieve.
Alaïa
Courtesy of Alaïa
Taking a step away from the glitz and glamour couture is known for, Alaïa entered couture week with a collection based on elegance, intimacy and accessibility. Shown at an intimate venue, the pieces that took to the runway demonstrated craftsmanship with twists to classic designs at their best. As Pieter Mulier incorporated sculptural structure and accents of red throughout the collection, he has taken the opportunity to redefine the limits of haute couture.
Zuhair Murad
Zuhair Murad Couture Show
With his 2024 couture collection, Zuhair Murad created a tribute to heritage and history. Taking inspiration from Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon) and the Greek and Roman Empires, the collection had signature Murad silver and gold designs whilst also introducing powerful shoulders, imposing silhouettes and skilful draping. The homage to heritage was brought full circle with grape and vine-adorned mesh, geometric patterns and several designs in a classic wine red.
Rami Al Ali
Rami Al Ali Couture show
A small yet striking couture collection, Rami Al Ali’s contribution to this couture week was an ingenious presentation. With two looks in striking burnt orange creating a contrast to the rest of the neutrally coloured collection, Al Ali presented refined pieces with unique silhouettes and necklines, juxtaposing them with flowing, ethereal looks. The contrasts were created in a harmonious, elegant way, making Rami Al Ali one to watch as future collections approach.
Celia Kritharioti
Courtesy of Celia Kritharioti
Opening with the iconic Naomi Campbell, and featuring runway legends Candice Swanepoel and Coco Rocha, Kritharioti’s show was sure to be a hit. However, the star power was not the most striking thing about the designer’s “Deep Sea” collection. A perfect collaboration of varied fabrics, silhouettes and colours managed to present the effect of a sunlit Mediterranean Sea. Littered with bright colours, shell motifs, mermaid-like silhouettes and even a look resembling a jellyfish, Kritharioti’s collection expressed her collection's marine inspiration perfectly.
Gaurav Gupta
Gaurav Gupta Couture Show
Playing with bold silhouettes, metal plating and new colour schemes, Gupta’s third couture show was the very definition of experimentation in design. Explaining that “Aarohanam is ascension, the start from nothingness,” on his Instagram, the designer created an entirely new angle to his brand. Metal chest plates were donned by many of the models, whilst blacks, whites and greys dominated the runway, a few looks in seductive red were also seen sauntering down the runway. From original silhouettes to gem embellishments, Gupta created the ascension he strived to achieve for himself with this collection.
As we head into women's fashion month. This week in couture is ever-present in our memories. The artistry that has passed in different forms, is not one to be easily forgotten.