The China Mail - Paris couture week brushes off riots with art and opulence

French label Celine had cancelled its show on Sunday (held outside the official calendar) because of the unrest sparked by the police killing of a teenager last week.

But with violence ebbing around Paris over the weekend, the fashion federation said it did not expect disruptions to couture week, whose celebration of ultra-expensive, tailor-made dresses could not be further from the issues that have roiled the country in recent days.

Before a crowd including rapper Cardi B and Vogue editor Anna Wintour, Schiaparelli got things rolling with what it called "a Surrealist's interpretation of a woman's essential closet".

One of the designs was created by hand-painting a woman's body in the style of artist Lucian Freud and then transferring it to a silk body stocking.

A cardigan and skirt made from broken mirror pieces was inspired by sculptor Jack Whitten, and there were nods to Sarah Lucas, Joan Miro and Salvador Dali.

- Clean lines -

Christian Dior followed with a show at the Rodin Museum inspired by classical-era statues.

There were no frills or heels in the new collection, which was full of clean, vertical lines and subtle shades of white, black, beige, gold and silver.

But designer Maria Grazia Chiuri told AFP that "these clean lines hide remarkable complexity" and that it took a lot of work to keep Dior's iconic New Look shapes while stripping away much of the complex constructions that underpin couture dresses.

Meanwhile, Holland's star designer Iris Van Herpen presented an aquatic and futuristic collection to a crowd including singer Camila Cabello and actress Maisie Williams.

The transparent outfits included an iridescent blue pleated dress reminiscent of the fins of a fish, while many of the models evoked mermaids.

Van Herpen, whose designs are a fixture of red carpets and feature in Beyonce's Renaissance tour, will have an exhibition dedicated to her in Paris in November.

Indian designer Rahul Mishra also put on an opulent display, with dresses that featured tigers, orchids and artisans in the designs, which he called an homage to "the imagination and craftsmanship of embroiderers".

He was one of several designers to include men among the models in his show -- previously a rarity in haute couture.

Mishra told AFP it was the first time he had done so at a Paris show: "(The clothes) were not made with that intent, but when we came here, we fit them onto the boys and they looked amazing."

Monday also saw the couture debuts of US designer Thom Browne and 26-year-old Charles de Vilmorin, presenting for his own brand after a short-lived tenure as artistic director of Rochas.

"I'm super happy to have lived through all this and to do my first show," the Frenchman told AFP.

H.Au--ThChM