Twice a year, the very limited list of design houses that qualify to be called 'haute couture', show their very best in the form of highly specialized garments. To be considered 'haute couture', a design house must present at least 50 original designs in the January and July couture fashion weeks. These designs must be made-to-order and created in an atellier (workshop) with atleast 15 full-time employees, as well as 20 full-time technical workers. The qualifications for haute couture can be strenuous for the designers, making it an exlusive playing field for the top 1% of fashion. This year Valentino decided to challenge fashion's exclusivity with their 2023 Autumn/Winter Couture show.
Along with their usual gowns, the show, held at Château de Chantilly just outside of Paris, featured many paired down looks matched with jeans, blouses and trousers, including an up-cycled pair of Levi's as seen above. While many of these looks feel more wearable than most of haute couture, the craftsmanship displayed in each garment remains at an astounding level. One look, pictured below, features a pair of pants that imitate the look of denim with thousands of beads dyed different shades of indigo. You may already be familiar with this look sported by Kaia Gerber, that was trending on social media. The designer, Pierpaolo Piccioli, described this collection as a paradox of simplicity and privilege, examining the re-contextualization of power and wealth through our modern lens using the media of highly skilled couture artisans. Watch and be inspired by the full show below.
