Spring Summer 2022 Haute Couture Wrap-Up

Haute Couture Spring Summer 2022 fashion week Top News Headlines

• Thierry Mugler died night before Haute Couture fashion week.
• Schiaparelli presented “flat” couture, or “Schip” show of reproduced looks of Pierre Cardin, Thierry Mugler, and Jean Paul Gaultier, claiming that these looks are unique and invented by Daniel Roseberry, creative director. Images of “re-invented” famous looks of Pierre Cardin compared to the new looks of Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli flooded social media networks.
• Schiaparelli presented its new collection to PurnHub Producer Kanye West, assumingly that these pieces will soon be used in his production.
• Kanye West came to several fashion shows of menswear and Haute Couture with black pantyhose over head, as a bank robber from 1980s. That made huge laugh all over United States and pinned by Snoop Dogg and Kevin Hart. Apparently Kanye West wanted to match his ex-wife Kim Kardashian look, who was suppose to come for Haute Couture fashion week (cancelled at last moment). She appeared in black outfit made for her by Demna Gvasalia, creative director of Balenciaga, for Met Gala 2021.

• On the occasion of Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture, “On Aura Tout Vu” (“We’ve seen it all”) presented “Haute Couture” sex-toys and showed them at their show “Superheroes”. The brand is entitled to use “Haute Couture” term for its production, as this brand is accepted by Fédération française de la couture (French fashion federation) as Haute couture invited guest and member. Haute Couture brand presented sex-toys as “Haute Couture” accessories to the media and during their show. Federation of Haute Couture didn’t express their opinion, didn’t put any ban on this production and use the “Haute Couture” name for sex-toys. For the last couple of years Federation of Haute Couture accepted as invited guests to present at Haute Couture fashion week the designers who have no connection to production in France, or don’t comply even with one requirement, or don’t have any production at all.

• Federation of Haute Couture accepted Ralph Rucci (American designer) as part of the official calendar of The Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, to present this season…. This designer never had production in France, he didn’t use any French atelier of métier d’art (ateliers of handmade crafts). In fact, this designer presented his old “collection” of drawings he did in 1990-2000s with marks 2022 and photos of his sketches with attached fabrics. The media received press-release and lookbook of drawings called “Ralph Rucci Spring Summer 2022 Haute Couture Collection”. NOTHING has been produced yet – not in France, not anywhere else. The brand invited media and buyers to contact for the appointment. The participation at Haute Couture fashion week has quite a high fee. How desperate Federation of Haute Couture could be to accept this?!!
• Pharrell Williams appeared at the shows wearing a reproduction of extraordinarily rare Mughal spectacles “Halo of Light” or “Gate of Paradise” (XVII century spectacles, named by the owners Mughal Royals, India). Pharrell Williams, who became a new creative director of Tiffany, claimed that this is his original “custom-designed” glasses. Sotheby’s chairman Edward Gibbs told CNN that  “As far as we know, there are no others like them.” Production of exact copy, without mentioning the original, and presentation to public as  Tiffany’s new glasses created another international scandal.

• Chanel announced a new CEO, and the first woman leader Leena Nair. The Haute Couture house announced that Leena Nair, the former Unilever human-resources chief, would assume the role of CEO in January 2022. She’s replacing Alain Wertheimer, Chanel’s co-owner. She was supposed to come to Paris and see the team, see the Chanel Haute Couture show, and meet the media. And to the very surprise of all, she cancelled her presence and didn’t appear at the show, she didn’t meet the designer or the media.
• Chanel after giant controversy with the first edition of Chanel advent calendar 2021 issued in December 2021 ($825 price for the several stickers and freebies available with every purchase at Chanel + 1 perfume, 1 soap and 2 lipsticks) announced just day before Haute Couture fashion week that the prices for the Chanel bags increased to $10 000. It is practically double. This decision for unjustified prices right after pandemic, when economically everybody has weakened, brought another wave of negative public opinion, and will probably give backfire and another boycott from buyers of luxury goods.
• Chanel Couture Spring Summer 2022 show started with Charlotte Casiraghi riding horse. Although this collection didn’t have any piece or look which is related to horse-riding. The collection was intended for a new CEO and presented the best pieces of Karl Lagerfeld redesigned by Virginie Viard, creative director of Chanel, for an occasion. Chanel has been pinned for attempting to become an equestrian brand, and a clumsy hit on Hermes fashion house.  Virginie Viard also decided to give a “black eye” to some models without special announcement. Apparently it was done simply to pay some special homage to battered women.
• Unusually “quiet” and dull collection of Christian Dior in black, navy, gray, and brown also surprised the guests and big public. And also the same day Dior released a fabulous book about John Galliano from 1997-2007 with the designs of great designer. This is not just a different time of the Dior house. This is two different worlds – talent and banality. And it looked like two different forces in Dior house ripping it apart. Christian Dior belongs to LVMH luxury group.
• LVMH luxury group announced Louis Vuitton fashion house is not defining itself solely as a fashion house, but as a true “cultural creation company”. The fashion house sells “desire” and “culture” rather than watches or dresses. Louis Vuitton, its flagship, is described as a “cultural brand with a global audience” which also reaches a very large clientele in generation Z. This is a big and quite important step as from this moment on fashion becomes a cultural attribute, which can and should be protected as a cultural heritage. 
• Pierre Cardin,  a fashion house known in the 1960s for the futuristic fashion style, made its relaunch under the new direction of nephew of the designer Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin. Fabulous show took place at Le Bourget, and the runway was installed under the Space Rocket Ariane 5.

That was a rich fashion week by its news and difference announcements.

And on a personal note: “Fashion” dressed, or more likely ridiculously dressed people, who are hanging around the entrance to the fashion shows, more and more becoming public laughing stock. Add here when they interviewed – they are appallingly stupid, and have no idea about fashion industry, they are here to show themselves, like some sort of rotten “fashion leftover”.

Fashion can be an expression of personal feelings, a statement, and can be considered as an art… but not anymore. When it was started more than 40 years ago it made sense  – fashion became a concept, an attraction, much more than expression of a personal style. Vivienne Westwood is a very good example. Although today it is just ridiculous, and more and more fashion is associated with this ridiculously dressed crowd, less and less public have an interest in fashion. If fashion luxury brands are not intended to change it – the gap between luxury fashion brands and the public will be much larger than it is today, which will lead to massive financial losses.

Already today people don’t follow the fashion shows and new trends dictated by luxury brands, as it was before. Many people don’t even know the names of the luxury brands. As an example, Fendi Haute Couture show this season was watched live only by 4000 people all over the world, youtube and instagram put together. And the number of buyers may not even come to a couple of hundred. That is how little interest the public have today to the massive production of luxury goods and the luxury industry. Something to think about.

Spring Summer 2022 Haute Couture Best of

This Paris Haute Couture fashion week was very rich by the events. The effect was like an earthquake. Shake it, shake it, baby, but not stir! It’s been a long time when everything became some sort of routine for the designers, media and buyers.

But apart from that what about the fashion and style? What actually designers showed for the Spring Summer 2022 season? And what actually can become a trendsetter?

Christian Dior showed the collection in black, navy, gray, and brown. Very simple looks, the “quiet fashion”, as Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director of Dior, called it. The silhouettes are very simple and casual. See all looks of Dior Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Schiaparelli, as being said, showed a collection of the looks so well chosen and reinvented from Pierre Cardin, Thierry Mugler, and Jean Paul Gaultier, with slight difference that these looks meant for Kanye West and his new adventure and production. Suzy Menkes, known independent fashion expert, called it “Schiap show”. See all looks of Schiaparelli Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika showed wonderful and very fresh looks. This Spring Summer collection included several very cute long and short cocktails dresses. What I personally like here is that collection is not attached to the one country codes. This dress I can easily see in New York, Paris, or Milan. And I can definitely wear one. See all looks of Georges Hobeika Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Chanel for this season finally made a beautiful come back to Karl Lagerfeld looks, this sparkle might light up Chanel once again. This collection has been very criticized by brand lovers for the quality, by experts for absence of the one line of the collection, by influencers and “watchdogs” of fashion for taking on Hermes market. “Black eye” given to some models (with make up of course) didn’t give any comments of public, as it was simply not understood. See all looks of Chanel Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Carla Bruni fabulously appeared for Didit Couture Spring Summer 2022 advertising campaign. Radiant and graceful, former First Lady of France, former model, lighten up the sky over Haute Couture fashion week this season. See all looks of Carla Bruni for Didit Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Valentino presented its Couture Spring Summer 2022 collection in the form of old fashion presentation/show under flag displayed on the Valentino’s building on Place Vendome, “Anatomy of Couture”. Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli brings the world close in a reimagined Salon de Couture: stripped of distraction, and singularly focused on his latest collection. An expression of physicality, a look into infinite shapes with the collection of Valentino “Anatomy of Couture”. I personally find this collection wonderful. Even the looks were not new, many of them are recreated by the designer from previous seasons, but garments were adapted for all shapes and ages. See all looks of Valentino Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Spring Summer 2022 collection is another ode, another poesy. He has such recognizable style. Golden fluid shiluettes, and this time the accent made on the jewelry, giant, absolutely magnificent jewelry. See all looks of Stephane Rolland Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring Summer 2022. It was another fabulous show. Yes, Elie Saab is a Red Carpet designer. And the gowns he presents every season are created to praise femininity and grace. See all looks of Elie Saab Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Spring Summer 2022. Jean Paul Gaultier collection this season presented by designer Glenn Martens from Y/Project. Glenn Martens is Creative Director – Diesel, and his own brand Y/Project. “This is a celebration of Gaultier. I’ve stayed close to the woman Jean Paul created in the past—pure diva goddess beauty,” – said Glenn Martens in his notes. He reinvented the iconic marinière with barely visible constructed lines in his own way. “Jean Master” tried to reach the iconic look of Gaultier by waiving the lines up and down. I personally find it like a great success. See all looks of Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Franck Sorbier for Haute Couture Spring Summer 2022 created another poesy,  “Ode of Life”. Probably this is the first time Franck Soriber created something very joyful. See all looks of Franck Sorbier Haute Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Fendi Couture Spring Summer 2022. The story of this Fendi Haute Couture collection by Kim Jones is a story told by Fendi is a fantasy from past to the future. The historic codes of the city, its marble statues and aesthetic, are explored by creative director of Fendi Kim Jones. I personally find this collection “disoriented”, as if Kim Jones had so little interest to making it, he just used paints, like anybody else, on fluid fabrics, and patch couple of embroideries on the gowns. Collection was presented in France, so let’s give to Marianne, the female allegory of Liberty, a runway. See all looks of Fendi Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Ziad Nakad Haute Couture Spring Summer 2022. For this Haute Couture collection Ziad Nakad took a woman as a jewel. The choice of models as his muses for this season he came to France, Australia, Georgia, United States, Germany, Netherlands, and Korea. He wanted to dress the women from around the world. This collection is his statement that beauty is universal. See all looks of Ziad Nakad Haute Couture Spring Summer 2022 HERE.

Pierre Cardin “Cosmocorps 3022” show was absolutely amazing finale for this so “disturbed” Haute Couture fashion week. This show was not just a tribute to the pioneer designer of “space” fashion but a magnificent relaunch of the brand, relaunch of the trend started in the 1960s. The Pierre Cardin show 2022 – Cosmocorps 3022 took place at Le Bourget Air and Space Museum, known to the world by its exposition of the plains, space rockets and the exposition of all important innovations and technologies related to space. Thousands of guests were invited to make the voyage from Paris to Le Le Bourget. We passed through the museum, accompanies by the robots, and following the lights, leading us to the Space Rocket Ariane 5, we came to the installed runway. See all looks of Pierre Cardin show 2022 – Cosmocorps 3022 HERE.

Well…. I love Happy endings. And that was it. Let’s also paraphrase “Pierre Cardin saved more than a day, he saved Haute Couture fashion week”. And we’ll continue Happily Ever After Haute Couture stories from Paris next season.

PS. We had to remove cover image, as Kanye West in his black pantyhose over head considered by Google robots, Facebook and Instagram robots, Twitter robots as DANGEROUS AND NOT APPROPRIATE CONTENT. The image was removed by robots, and the article wasn’t referenced. Funny enough….So we changed it. I hope that Pharrell Williams with his glasses won’t be also considered as dangerous and inappropriate…