The symbolic power of haute couture in 2021

Pierpaolo Piccioli, artistic director of the House of Valentino chose to dedicate the Haute Couture 2021 Fall collection to its workshops. Perfectly combining shapes and silhouettes with pure emotion, this collection entitled “Valentino des Ateliers” sheds light on the Italian House’s savoir-faire, in close collaboration with young contemporary artists. At Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri and the ateliers of Avenue Montaigne also achieved technical prowess by highlighting textures such as tweed, pleated fabrics, drapery and multiple exceptional embroideries.

Heritage, another strong focus, is widely used for the 2021 Fall collections. Indeed, for its first Haute Couture collection - which marked the return of Balenciaga after over fifty years of absence - Demna Gvasalia managed to achieve a double bet of both being decisively modern and completely respectful of Cristòbal Balenciaga’s heritage. While this daring modernity was not far from the aesthetical lines and choices of the brand’s ready-to-wear offer, it was avant-garde when it came to the specific landscape of Haute Couture, especially in terms of androgyny and proportion distortions.

This clear disruption with Haute Couture’ classical codes was nevertheless balanced by a deep respect of the house’s history and the specific aesthetics of its founder. Demna Gvasalia’s tribute to Balenciaga was symbolically highlighted, up to the title of the collection, named “Fiftieth Haute Couture Collection”, and in the choice of hosting the fashion show in the historic salons of the Maison, Avenue Georges V. The decorations - an identical reproduction, as if it had aged with a beautiful patina over time and the scenography - including absolute silence in the respect of the master’s tradition - were almost a metaphorical oxymoron of Demna Gvasalia’s approach for Balenciaga’s Haute Couture: a visionary tribute.