Couture Week is extending beyond what you would expect. This biannual event is a showcase that those who are fashion-obsessed look forward to every year. It’s a hub of wearable art where boundaries and the unexpected are explored. With the help of ateliers, it feels like they can bring even the most unimaginable to life. 

It’s experimental yet wearable. It’s fashion as you’ve never seen it before. It’s the perfect proof for those who think fashion isn’t art. Haute Couture Week is here to prove them otherwise. 

Some of the top looks were at Schiaparelli, where subversion and surrealism collide. Here, they presented a marvel of a piece—a blazer covered in more than 11,000 real flowers that took over 2,779 hours to complete. Similarly, Balenciaga had Gigi Hadid model a voluminous black rooster-feather headpiece that encircled her head and body (in a heatwave, I might add). 

Aside from the most closely watched shows of CHANEL, Dior, Balenciaga and Schiaparelli, Elie Saab also delivered, with fantasy taking centre stage through embellished corsets and dramatic trains. Meanwhile, Ashi Studios, whose recent show marked the couturier’s 20th anniversary, explored protection through feathers, corsets, and veils, all acting as armour.

Taking it close to home, Aelis Couture was inspired by Canada’s growing nature movement after meeting Morgane Joffredo of Amnesty International during the screening of the film “Yintah”. Pieces are grounded in natural influences and made from upcycled and existing materials; a favourite is an angelic blue dress that resembles a melting iceberg. 

Feature image courtesy of Schiaparelli.