Menu
Couture

Runway: 3 Things I Didn’t Expect To See At Haute Couture

haute couture,chanel,ss15

haute couture,chanel,ss15

Haute couture is usually exquisitely crafted gowns, dripping in beads, sequins, Swarovski crystals, and delicate embroideries, which have taken hundreds of hours to produce by hand – that is why I adore it so much, it showcases the brilliance of fashion and techniques that should be admired and promoted.

However, it seems that each season we get a taste of the ordinary reworked in an opulent fashion, maybe it is for shock-and-awe, maybe it is to bridge the gap between couture and ready-to-wear, or maybe it is just to make an elaborate statement.

Whatever the reason, here are three things I spotted this season that I never expected to see on an haute couture runway:

chane-SS15-couture-beanie-2#1: The Opulent Beanie

Chanel has given us couture trainers and cycling shorts in the past, but I think the reworking of the winter favourite beanie has to be my favourite ‘it’ item. I love the fact it shouldn’t work, a beanie scattered with jewels and appliquéd with chiffon flowers and butterflies, but how cool do these wacky hats look.

What I love more about these decked out beanies is that with a glue gun, some netting, and a pack of pearls and sequins is that you could have your own couture beanie in a matter of hours.

Will you be converting your favourite beanie into an haute couture masterpiece?

dior-ss15-couture-,haute couture,s15,couture,fashion,designer fashion2: Plastic Fantastic

You expect to see silk, chiffon, and tulle being used in the construction of lavish couture pieces, so seeing plastic hit the haute couture runways at Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier was a little bit of a surprise. For Dior, it was revamped plastic macs, which had printed flowers adorned on it, while at Gaultier it was more like cellophane wrapping, even being worn by Naomi Campbell didn’t make it look couture to me.

I am sure that the see-through plastic macs will be a big hit with the high street, especially come festival season, but just like with the beanie you too could DIY your very own. Take a pac-a-mac, come on you know you have one everyone does, invest in some flower appliqués and get hand-stitching them on. Start now you’ll be finished by summer for Glasto!

So who do you think will be first to wear this haute couture look at Glastonbury – Alexa Chung or Kate Moss?

jean-paul-gaultier-plastic,haute couture,s15,couture,fashion,designer fashion

jean-paul-gaultier,haute couture,s15,couture,fashion,designer fashion

#3: Beekeeper Bride

At haute couture, you expect to see wedding gowns, over-the-top spectacles that require 5 strapping male models to walk it down the runway, crazy beaded beauties, as well as those Princess gowns that make you gasp, but a beekeeper bride is a new one on me.

Jean Paul Gaultier’s entire SS15 couture show was wedding themed, including what the guests would wear to a couture wedding, but the piece that stood out for me had to be the blue jeans beekeeper gown that supermodel Lindsey Wixson took to the runway. First up it is denim, I know we expect jeans from Gaultier but on a bride, and secondly, what sort of bride would wear a beekeeping veil? Hey, I suppose that’s what you call an alternative bride!!!

Did you see anything unexpected on the haute couture runways this season?

[Pics: via Chanel & Vogue.co.uk]