Aptly named ‘Icarus’, the Schiaparelli Spring Couture show pushed craftsmanship to the highest degree. Simple lines draw the eye to the bust and hips with appliqué, beads and bristles sewn in immaculate detail. The runway show offered a thoughtful, intellectual suggestion around the idea of beauty.
Kicking off couture week with a bang, Schiaparelli did not disappoint. Familiar faces on the runway included Alex Consani, Mona Tougaard and Kendall Jenner.
‘Icarus’, the fictional son of an inventor in Greek mythology, met his unfortunate end after his father created him a pair of waxen wings and encouraged him to fly. Icarus’ wings quickly melted as he soared too close to the sun, perishing from his father’s hubris. We are left with the lingering message; don’t fly too high.
Daniel Roseberry has seen legendary success in his role as Creative Director for Schiaparelli, creating a frisson between American wearability and French savoir-faire. This marriage between the two keeps the brand from flying too high in either direction. Roseberry puts the ‘o’ in opulence and follows a tenacious pursuit of beauty.
Some highlights include the embroidered enamel flowers punctuating a bustier dress magpied from an archive jacket from the ‘40s. The second look boasted a silhouette some may find familiar–a nod to the classic Schiaparelli jacket from the ‘30s, when shoulders were high and rounded. Some pieces featured ribbons from pre-World War II found in an antique shop in Paris. Cut from one single piece of fabric, a luminous buttery satin neoprene jumpsuit left the audience speechless.
Escapism is close to the heart of Roseberry’s Surrealist collections. Witnessing his wearable sculptures, the viewer is transported to another realm while watching each of his 33 exits. The third look was a bustier dress in butter satin and its unusual shape was inspired by an Alberto Giacometti archive lamp. The decision to emulate a lamp effectively reminds the eye of a golden glow and adds a modernist, architectural twist to the dress. It positively radiates, the clam basque is sculptural and the juxtaposition of nude tulle with butter satin introduces a delicate sensuality, allowing the bodice to take centre stage. The lift of the basque around the top of the tulle prompts the idea of flying or floating.
Previously, Roseberry has mused around collections being too surface level, designed for the screen. Why not fly higher? In its refined sense of pure golden beauty, baroque and extravagance prompts a philosophical reflection on the way we perceive and portray what is beautiful in the modern age. In an attention-scare culture, the next eye-catching thing is just one click away, but the closer a designer can get to objective, undeniable beauty, perhaps the longer these designs can sit with us. It’s couture week, full to the brim with artful shows and the next gorgeous one is a mere click away, so I encourage you to ask yourself–what drew you to this one in particular?
