Haute Couture Week 2023: High 10 highlights

Written by Samantha Tse, CNNParis

CNN Fashion is among the official media companions of Paris Trend Week and Haute Couture Week. See all protection right here.

Whereas temperatures in Paris hit under or close to freezing, editors, celebrities and influencers wrapped themselves up in balaclavas, blanket scarves and massive coats prepared for one of the opulent affairs on the style calendar: Haute Couture Week.

There was controversy at Schiaparelli, an ode to celebrated American-born French performer Josephine Baker at Dior and the return of Casey Cadwallader for Mugler after a three-year absence from the runway. Though Cadwallader’s assortment was ready-to-wear, the high-octane present was harking back to Thierry Mugler’s performance-driven runways within the Eighties and 90s.

“It was a ballsy transfer to indicate throughout couture week,” Cadwallader advised CNN after the catwalk presentation, including: “Mugler is to not be quiet. Mugler is to be daring and thrilling, to have drama and do one thing iconic once more.”

Scroll all the way down to learn essentially the most talked about moments from the couture runways.

Schiaparelli’s massive cat controversy

Shalom Harlow’s robe featured a roaring snow leopard bursting out the bust. Credit score: Courtesy Schiaparelli

It was a roaring begin to Haute Couture Week when Kylie Jenner’s lion-head robe went viral. Handmade from foam and resin, the hyper-realistic beheaded lion was a part of Daniel Roseberry’s newest assortment for Schiaparelli (Irina Shayk wore a model of Jenner’s costume simply moments after company took their seats). The label additionally debuted two extra predator-inspired items on the runway, from the 14th-century poem Dante’s “Inferno:” a lion, leopard and she-wolf. Shalom Harlow modeled a column costume that includes the snow leopard, whereas Naomi Campbell wore a shiny black coat full with the protruding wolf’s head.

However the appears to be like have been so convincingly constructed, many took to social media to precise their misery. It was all a part of the plan nonetheless, in response to Roseberry, who wrote within the present notes that the confusion was intentional: “Mimicry (is that an actual lion?) turns into its personal type of Surrealism on this assortment, such that you just’re by no means fairly positive who made the piece you are taking a look at—was it nature?”

Dior’s kiss curls

Maria Chiuri Grazia was inspired by 1920s dancer Josephine Baker.

Maria Chiuri Grazia was impressed by Nineteen Twenties dancer Josephine Baker. Credit score: Dior

Because the label’s first feminine artistic director, ladies’s empowerment is a long-held theme in Maria Chiuri Grazia’s designs. This season, she was proven mild on singer and dancer Josephine Baker in a group that had a distinctly Nineteen Twenties sensibility. With the present’s hair theme designed by Guido Palau, the period’s “kiss curls” delicately framed faces in a nod to Baker’s type and have been the right accompaniment to the gathering’s bias-cut robes and layered fringe detailing.

The Chanel bride emerged from an elephant

Giant mobile cardboard animals filled the runway at the Chanel show.

Large cellular cardboard animals crammed the runway on the Chanel present. Credit score: Kristy Sparow/Getty Photos

Animals have been a theme at Chanel too, the place they got here within the type of summary cardboard creations that peppered the runway. Virginie Viard drew from Coco Chanel’s condominium, whose treasure trove of bestiary motifs knowledgeable the gathering. Viard tapped artist Xavier Veilhan for a 3rd time to create the cellular set that included horses, lions and an elephant from which Anna Ewers emerged because the label’s storied bride sporting a brief, delicate chiffon costume cinched on the waist and a swallow-stitched veil.

Iris Legislation closed the Alexandre Vaulthier present

Iris Law closed the show at Alexandre Vaulthier.

Iris Legislation closed the present at Alexandre Vaulthier. Credit score: Courtesy Alexandre Vauthier

Daughter of British actors Jude Legislation and Sadie Frost, Iris Legislation additional added to her style credentials when she closed the Alexandre Vaulthier present sporting a black figure-hugging costume with pink trompe l’oeil sequin detailing and supersized puff sleeves. Her cropped blonde hair — now her signature look — gave the elevated little black costume an edge. “Emily in Paris” star’ Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu applauded enthusiastically from the entrance row through the finale the place Legislation was the final mannequin to go away the runway.

Clown stylish at Giorgio Armani Privé

Harlequin diamonds were all the rage at the Armani Privé show.

Harlequin diamonds have been all the trend on the Armani Privé present. Credit score: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Photos

Extra commonly related to clowns than high fashion, Harlequin diamonds got a glow up on the Giorgio Armani Privé present. The maestro took the standard rhombus and elevated it by quilting them into velvet jackets and silk attire, embellishing them with crystals that adorned eveningwear and as lace detailing on skirt hems. Whereas the harlequin motif is commonly seen in harsh monochrome, Armani used a softer palette of lilac, purple, slate and sage.

Subverting costume codes at Viktor and Rolf

Doja Cat's oversized suit and eyelash mustache caused a stir at the Viktor & Rolf runway.

Doja Cat’s outsized swimsuit and eyelash mustache triggered a stir on the Viktor & Rolf runway. Credit score: Marc Piasecki/WireImage/Getty Photos

There might have been upside-down attire at Viktor and Rolf, but it surely was Doja Cat’s gender-bending mustached look that triggered the largest stir. After being criticized on-line for not sporting lashes along with her viral head-to-toe crystal have a look at Schiaparelli, Doja Cat clapped again by turning up on the present with glued falsies over her eyebrows, above her lip and on her chin. On her Instagram account, she playfully posted “If lashes are what you all need, then lashes are what you will get.”

Haider Ackermann’s couture debut for Jean Paul Gaultier

Ackermann was inspired by Gaultier's passion for human rights.

Ackermann was impressed by Gaultier’s ardour for human rights. Credit score: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Photos

Haider Ackermann was the forth designer invited to current a group for Jean Paul Gaultier since 2020, and the end result was a love letter to the elder couturier with political undertones. Giving a nod to Gaultier’s battle for human rights, Ackermann used the couture runway to focus on the battle for ladies’s rights in Iran. Whereas fashions walked the runway, their names have been whispered by a spoken phrase soundtrack punctuated by Iranian artist Shervin Hajipour’s track “Baraye.” Hajipour’s track was a response to the brutal killing of Mahsa Amin final yr and the next battle for ladies’s rights within the nation.

Heels off at Valentino

Kristen McMenamy walked the Valentino catwalk barefoot after tripping over her stilettos. Credit score: Courtesy Valentino

Even essentially the most seasoned fashions can take a tumble. Kristen McMenamy, who was modeling a densely-embellished strapless column costume with pink opera gloves, had been struggling to stroll in her vertiginous black stilettos when she fell to her knees on the runway. Entrance row company ran to assist the veteran mannequin however like a real skilled she took the footwear off, obtained up and triumphantly completed strolling the runway barefoot. Movies of her fall have since gone viral, amassing over two thousands and thousands views on TikTok and reveals McMenamy throwing the offending footwear off the aspect of the runway.

Lowkey fur at Fendi

Lace took center stage at the Fendi show.

Lace took middle stage on the Fendi present. Credit score: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Photos

Fur — one in all Fendi’s trademark supplies — was barely used within the Italian label’s Spring-Summer time 2023 assortment. Relatively, Kim Jones explored the notion of lightness, each in its fabrication and the styling. Lace was a robust focus, from detailing throughout bodices and hems, to total robes product of the intricate materials. However upon nearer look, among the “lace” was truly leather-based with intricate cut-outs or minute beads meticulously strung collectively to appear like netlike.

The Supers returned to the Mugler stage

Original Mugler muses Eva Herzigova and Debra Shaw closed the Mugler ready-to-wear catwalk.

Unique Mugler muses Eva Herzigova and Debra Shaw closed the Mugler ready-to-wear catwalk. Credit score: Victor Boyko/Getty Photos

After a three-year absence, Casey Cadwallader made his return to the runway with an extravaganza that paid homage to Thierry Mugler’s flamboyant couture reveals. Though the ready-to-wear assortment wasn’t on the official calendar, it was a spectacular near the season as supermodels Irina Shayk, Shalom Harlow and Amber Valetta, walked alongside 90s Mugler muses Debra Shaw and Eva Herzigova — closing the present by posing in entrance of the pit of photographers, similar to they might have accomplished within the 90s.