As the faceless models walked out onto the runway, the Balenciaga show looked more like an alien landing procession with stark neoprene covering the figures in full. At Paris Haute Couture Week the iconic luxury maison’s new collection presentation on Day Three got going to an ominous start, but soon the celebrities started pouring out.
For Bella Hadid, Balenciaga created a strapless dress in satin green. Naomi Campbell wore an old-fashioned gown in black with an oversize collar, while Nicole Kidman walked out wrapped in shimmering silver. Due Lipa was another celebrity at the Balenciaga show, as well as Kim Kardashian in a classic black gown.
Lebanese designer Elie Saab was the next highlight of Day Three in Paris, including menswear into the mix for the first time in his high fashion line as the Beirut couturier spread his appeal. Elegant tailoring and embroidery were the theme of the collections.
A psychedelic stream of colour went next, from designer Zuhair Murad who presented his haute couture line inspired by the mysticism of a “fortune teller”. Silk, fine needlework and elements of folk art abound in an exciting collection from the Lebanese maison.
As for Jean Paul Gaultier, the legendary designer may be retired but he showed up in person at the Paris reveal of the latest collection, full of rebel attitude and exaggeration of the human form. There was some genuine red-carpet-wear in the mix, but most of it was a celebration of Gaultier’s groundbreaking forms of the past. And, yes, there was a Le Male outfit.
We’ll see you soon for the final day of Paris Haute Couture Week with shows from Fendi and Cameroonian Imane Ayissi on the calendar, so there’s plenty to look forward to tomorrow.
