July 3, 2019 |
“I wanted to take it up a notch” said Clare Waight Keller after her sensational Givenchy show. Her intention? “To push it to something that has more theatre.” That she did, titling the show “Noblesse Radicale” and sending out a series of dramatic designs. One strict sheath dress looked like it was embraced by a cloud of dancing orange feathers. Feather petticoats sprouted from beneath taffeta ball skirts and thousands of black beads created a raven-like texture for other gowns. “I needed a narrative” she said, imagining an “anarchic” woman living in an enchanted chateau. Her muse would wander through its mysterious room picking up a panniered feather ball gowns, swagged sequinned over coats or fishtail skirts with a dramatic crinolines hems along the way.
Special mention should go to the winged hair by Guido Palau, which swooped up about the head (Google Flock of Seagulls lead singer Mike Score for your moodboard reference). There were plenty of eccentricities in this show but Waight Keller never lost the elegance. She revelled in the couture techniques, lavishing every piece with hand work and her flights of fashion fancy were complimented by the strictness and control of the tailored pieces. Magical transporting absolutely the most spectacular way to end day two of Couture. Bravo!
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
