I like to click on Couture Lab from time to time whilst I pretend I’m in the mindset that I can drop ¬£5k on an item of clothing (it’s on a whole other level of dream-shopping from the likes of Net a Porter….) and Maurizio Galante is a name that I frequently hover my mouse over. Jackets/wraps/cover-ups are not a purely functional item for Galante and he proves it with the excessive accordion and pleating effects. This pic from Foto Decadent from Stiletto magazine also stuns me with it’s mille feuille of pink layers of organza that is supposed to be a cape. Now considered a regular on the Paris Haute Couture week schedule, Galante is promoting a fashion as a laborious craft that doesn’t necessarily need to be tagged with a Parisian fashion house.
The SS08 collection which he presented in January consists of many an example of those extroverted pieces of outerwear that I’m now making a life mission to obtain, or at least aspire to with my general approach to outerwear which in the past has erred more towards functionality than beauty. Dog-eared grey peacoat therefore needs to be given a heave-ho to make way for jackets that could be hung up on a wall as an art installation. These are the sort of empowering exterior garments or ‘shells’ that I’d love to just try on for a few minutes…
Wow, I would love to see what you would do with pieces like these!
Your wardrobe gets more and more fascinating all the time.
wow they are amazing pieces of art! i especially love the last 2 purple ones the colours and the fading to a darker purple are soo nice, i love to own one but unfortuneatly for me its just a dream…
Beautiful pieces! The different layers, reminds a bit to a certain technique Valentino used to make for Haute Couture. Anyway, they’re pieces of art, and I’m sure they worth all that money.
Galante’s presentations are truly something.
When one wears couture especially the OTT ones it’s like having yourself as a performance artist of sorts (well, in a way).
these are more like pieces of art! for some reason this reminds me of that skirt you posted about the other day. galantes collection sure is a dream.
kx
http://www.fashonistadiary.co.uk
Wow, beautiful. My favorite and I think most ‘wearable’ one is the jacket with the polka dot (upper left) and the dark blue with the satin finish (it would amazing would that look with a simple black sheath dress for an evening out!)
ohhhh I like that beige/peach number..it reminds me of tissue paper for some reason
the others are right it’s art
Amazing work.
ooh, they do look amazing to wear! I bet they make that shoof-shoof kind of noise a nice big fluffy chiffon-y type garment makes when you walk around in it swinging your arms…
wow! they look so fun!
Shells is the appropriate word–they do look like beautiful sea creatures!
I bet this inspired Reiss to make one of their skirts this season.
Jacket/coat as art, I love the idea. I just can’t imagine myself not messing those up, though.
wow, these are gorgeous… like more graphic versions of the valentino pink puff balls. i want one.
wow. they are like clouds. i wish i could better see the silver tied to the knee “sandals”. thye look amazing. so nude.
susie! your blog is fantastic! i happened to stumble across it during a lazy day of interning and i’m hooked. you have such a great eye for fashion. where do you find all this info from?
those are amazing, its wearable art.
Yes Yes Yes to adventurous outerwear. I don’t know why people always bundle up in black and brown. I get all these shocked compliments on my winter coat every year — just because it’s orange! I always want to say “It’s not really that amazing, it’s just not boring.”
I like the sand coloured one, so etheral. Reminds me of what Sonia Rykiel did with her vests in her Spring/Summer 2008 collection, a similar idea with feathers.
I love CoutureLab – it’s a brilliant place to find inspiration, from clothiung to homeware, even if the prices are through-the-roof! That ‘cape’ piece by Galante is stunning, and really reminds me of some shell I picked up on a beach in La Manga this summer. Truely organic. Cx
oh i saw pics of those ‘floating’ dresses. how amazing!
Love it! This hits all my latest obsessions.
Hi Susie – as I am reading your blog.. I thought I’d comment: I don’t really understand this shellin’ stuff.. it’s so past season or last century, to me. You do a lot of this and besides that there is a lot of handy-craft knowledge and ability behind all of this (obviously!) it really does not do anything for me besides showing that…why do you like this?