Future Past: Part 2

If the first two days of couture comprised of the biggies of Chanel and Dior is about big sets and big ideas that get blared out to the world in a loud way, then the third day feels like it’s about experimentalism and more intimate settings of smaller houses, beginning with Maison Martin Margiela Artisanal and its unique take on the haute upcycling and ending with Viktor & Rolf’s concept-laden and make-you-think shows that marks the end of haute couture week (well, for me at least).

Someone on Twitter was surprised that Maison Martin Margiela Artisanal  was in my top haute couture faves list, which in turn surprised me.  Yes, it isn’t your swishing gown, dream-dream-dream, French maison but the Artisanal collections have been astonishingly good for the last few years and the reason why is now out in the open.  Remember Mathieu Blazy’s graduate collection from La Cambre?  No, why would you.  You might not even know the name but peeps in the industry have known for a long time that Blazy has been the head designer of Maison Martin Margiela for the last few years, but from the perspective of the house, of course the faces behind it are supposed to be nameless and anonymous.  That may not be the case anymore as we see Maison Martin Margiela enter a new phase under the ownership of Renzo Rosso’s Only the Brave group.*  Suzy Menkes unmasked Blazy in her review – a surprising move – as it also included direct quotes from Blazy himself, speaking on behalf of MMM.  Even the Daily Mail thought it newsworthy!

I’ve known Blazy since his graduate collection so it’s of course thrilling to see him being credited, especially because his work for both Margiela’s mainline and the Artisanal collections, has been so outstanding.  Let’s talk Artisanal then and how I love thee.  First and foremost, Margiela corners its own unique take on the concept of haute couture by taking the past and lovingly reproducing, restoring and recontextualising is so that becomes something relevant and forward-thinking.  That’s been the theme of this season’s haute couture shows but MMM Artisanal are an old hand at this future past game.  It’s about respecting the fact that the past has its worth and merit in today’s world.

A description about a 19th century silk lampas in the press notes says it all.  “It enriches, it dresses, it decorates.”  Indulge in the unfettered pleasure of seeing 18th century silk lampas cut into thigh-high split asymmetric tunics.  Or the intricate patchworking of embroidery samples that would normally be discarded.  Paul Poiret has new life breathed into it with a skirt jangling with old French franc coins.  On a different spectrum of silk, Japanese souvenir bombers of the 1950s are patched together to create bomber-gown hybrids.  And it’s not just the old that Margiela reveres – impressive new embroideries such as an oversized lobster shawl also have a place in this past/present mix ‘n’ match.

Ultimately, it’s a show that is always exploding with ideas and despite ongoing questions about what is the “point” of haute couture, one of them is surely that it is an ideas factory that feeds and trickles down the rungs of fashion.  It’s why you leave this altogether quieter show, with less brouhaha than the maison biggies, with a deep sense of satisfaction.  Blazy at Margiela is no longer an industry secret.  But it’s doubtful that his profile will overtake the clothes.  The work just speaks for itself.

The exception to this “small and intimate” day though is Jean Paul Gaultier, where outside his rue Saint Martin atelier, it’s always a madhouse, because it’s well… Gaultier – France’s national fashion treasure.   I will always have a soft spot for Gaultier because he is a legend and nothing can take away from the extraordinary and brilliant things he has done in the past.  At present though, I’ve come to take JPG shows with a pinch of salt.  You’ve got to be bemused and hand it to him but you’re barking up the wrong tree if you try to overanalyse his shows and put them into context of fashion today.  We got Disney villainesses (Maleficent the film surely must have been a top reference),  Morticia Addams, Marilyn Manson and erm… Conchita Wurst, 2014’s cross-dressing bearded Eurovision winner.  Nothing wrong with any of that so long as you laugh with Gaultier.  He seems to be having a lark doing these camp as Christmas shows and when every other designer is striving ever so hard for this elusive word “modern” in their haute couture, it’s sort-of, vaguely refreshing that Gaultier just does what he wants…because he’s Gaultier.

We’re back to subdued settings as, Vionnet’s demi-couture line by Hussein Chalayan whispered at you with its floor length pleats through hoops, gowns snaked with cube-structured spine and knotted bath-robe strapless gowns.  The press release talks loftily about opposing forces.  I saw textiles experimentation that pushed Chalayan’s innate architectural sensibility.  The construct of “demi-couture” seems to have given Chalayan a chance to express his aesthetic in what are essentially red carpet frocks.

Another future past exchange took place at Valentino where Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli were led by the pre-Raphaelite paintings of the 19th century, which then led them on to Grecian/Roman classicism – something that should be innate to these Roman natives.  By looking at the pure and simple lines of tunics and togas, it seemed the duo were also eager to not overladen their haute couture shows for Valentino with embroidery, beading and overly ornate work.  It’s all too tempting to overdecorate haute couture just because you can flex the might of your ateliers and push the limits of your artisans’ hands.  For Chiuri and Piccioli, they found it more interesting to simplify and make people see beauty in an almost seamless, perfectly cut asymmetric dress in singular colour.  That doesn’t mean that the fancy stuff wasn’t there.  It just wasn’t there in abidance and it was measured out in even doses.  You beautiful gold lace work and a patchworked 17th century tapestry skirt (both original and reproduced tapestry) balanced out with a ribbed cashmere knit.  Metallic Grecian motifs applique shone brighter on plain white.  A few frocks of ornate almost Chinoiserie-esque beading and embroidery will sate the magpie couture client.  And one sweeping gown with an appliqued skirt featuring an imaginary Merry-go-Round was also a flight of fancy on their part.  The pair are still unabashed romantics, and the pre-Raphaelites would most certainly have approved.

Finally, Viktor & Rolf attempted to turn haute couture on its head with its made-for-red carpet culture by creating a collection… entirely made out of red carpet… and shown on the red carpet!  Geddit?  The show was accompanied by a performance of rhythmic clappers.  The sharp staccato of the clapping matched up with the punchy and direct stream of red carpet frocks – tied, knotted and sometimes dresses had red carpet shaved into the pattern of animal prints.  Was it a magic carpet ride?  There was certainly skills and workmanship on show.  Manipulating thick plush carpet developed by Dutch company Desso is no easy feat.  And it looked convincing for the most part.  What Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren are saying isn’t exactly clear though.  Is it a comment on celebrities trussed up by stylists and paraded on the red carpet?  Is it about 21st century celebrity culture?  According to Style.com, they’re “non-judgemental”.  It still makes you, the viewer think though.  Now, waiting to see who braves the red carpet… wearing erm… red carpet.

 

* Further to my comments on Suzy Menkes’ article regarding Matheiu Blazy, I have been reminded by Maison Martin Margiela, that the “long-standing communication policy of the Maison has not changed and that Maison Martin Margiela does not communicate on any individual member of its collective, as our work is done by a team and is credited only to this same collective.”