Runway to the future: fashion’s brave new world on show in Paris

Paris marked a new era but there’s no substitute for fashion’s live theatre.

Part of the Ralph & Russo digital show in Paris, featuring Machu Picchu in Peru.

Perhaps the most telling thing about the first digital Paris Haute Couture Week was that in many cases the clothes took a back seat to storytelling.

Intriguingly, some of the clothes didn’t exist at all, presented as sketches or concepts, while others were created in miniature or perhaps a mere handful rendered to help convey a mood or reinforce a brand identity.

For fashion houses that are used to creating lavish catwalk productions twice a year, where the world’s point-one-percenters come to choose their bespoke pieces and the media report on creations that so few will ever own, it was quite the shift.

The coronavirus all but ushered out the last round of global ready-to-wear shows in February and March, from New York to Paris. As they ended, European cities were being locked down and events with large gatherings ceased. A number of cities, Shanghai and Helsinki among them, were among the first to pivot to purely digital events, and London’s recent iteration met with lukewarm reviews.

But Paris Haute Couture Week is considered the pinnacle of the industry. Governed by the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, it is a tightly regulated event, by strict invitation to only those houses that adhere to the highest levels of luxury and craftsmanship in the world.

Only 15 houses may use the appellation “haute couture” (high fashion), which is as strictly regulated as the use of the word champagne within the wine industry. It is also a secretive, rarefied world, to which few are ever given a key. Attending the shows is certainly a highlight of this journalist’s career, where from mere metres away, marvels of beading and embroidery, opulent fabrics and startling silhouettes pass by to inspire and delight.

Part of the Viktor & Rolf couture show in Paris.

So, what would the first Haute Couture Online week, over three days, look like? And would it have the same impact as the real thing? Certainly one change was that everyone was welcome.

Before it began, Ralph Toledano, president of the Federation, declared the event “a life-size digital experiment”, and emphasised that such an event, necessary to keep the dialogue going while the COVID-19 crisis played out, would never replace the catwalk.

“On top of this, we’re convinced that digital technology is and will continue to be a major game-changer in the fashion industry, and organising these digital fashion weeks has allowed us, or rather forced us, to explore the possibilities offered by this kind of technology so that we’ll be able to make even better use of it during our fashion weeks,” said Toledano.

Endless options

So what did it look like? Well, much like an online short film festival, in truth.

The only decree from the Federation was for the 33 houses, including invited guests, to create a film for their platform of 20 minutes or less.

The results were varied in style, length, vision and purpose. They ranged from 25 seconds (Alexandre Vauthier’s 80s-inspired posers) to nearly 15 minutes. Some, like Dior’s cinematic effort, were expansive, no-budget-spared affairs that transported viewers to another place; others were navel-gazing or jarring moments that had you wondering what they intended to communicate.

Granted, there was not a huge amount of lead time in all of this to use new technologies. Fashion films have been part of the conversation for years now as a way to communicate a brand’s ethos and aesthetic.

London-based Australians Ralph & Russo balanced this with pushing the digital angle more than most.

What did work well, especially given that everyone effectively had a front-row seat, was the glimpse behind the scenes that some houses offered, which provided a fascinating insight. A number of houses took the opportunity to explain the process and savoir-faire of the ateliers, where the petits mains create works of wonder that are worth into the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

London-based Australians Ralph & Russo balanced this with pushing the digital angle more than most. In their film, designer Tamara Ralph explained the collection inspiration of travel at a time when we are unable to do so, and the way digital technologies have helped the traditional artisanal approach to couture. They also created an avatar, Hauli, who was digitally dressed and placed into scenes of the Seven Wonders of the World to create spectacular imagery.

Ralph said the switch to this form of presentation was definitely a game-changer as to how they would present future collections.

Dior haute couture miniatures.

“Making digital a priority will absolutely be our new norm,” she told Inquirer, “and I think this will be the same across the entire industry, even beyond couture and into other product categories. We’ll definitely look to do more within the digital sphere and incorporate new technology into our future shows; it’s the way of the future … the options are not only creative, but endless.”

For Rahul Mishra, the online medium was a chance to take cameras inside his ateliers in India, where his embroiderers create the designer’s exquisite designs based on nature. He also highlighted the importance of couture to create job opportunities for artisans at a time of employment uncertainty for so many.

Rahul Mishra couture.

“I used to feel that the physical shows with their multi-sensory experience and immersive set-ups are the ideal way of presenting the collection. But now...I feel that only ten seconds of a garment fleeting past you at the catwalk can be replaced with these multidimensional fashion films that can zoom-in to all the details the designer wants to showcase and tell the story that would otherwise be missed.”

Fantasy and darkness

Some films were mini movies. Dior’s fantastical woodland tale of nymphs and mermaids, and statues coming to life to sample the delights of haute couture, tapped into the sense of fantasy that has always surrounded this particular part of the fashion world. That its director, Matteo Garrone, chose such a non-inclusive cast swiftly came under fire.

Bouchra Jarrar’s short and simple piece in black and white, featuring twin models Aissa and Aida Kane in youthful tailoring in black and white, brought a younger mindset to couture.

Antonio Grimaldi called on Asia Argento to create a deeply dark film, Elektra, a murderous mother-daughter affair. Franck Sorbier, too, took a darker turn with a teaser for a longer-form film, The Plague Doctor.

Valentino and Maison Margiela also offered tiny teasers to later films and events, adding to the idea that going forward, brands may increasingly do their own thing outside the remit of any of the fashion industry’s governing bodies.

Some, such as Alexis Mabille and Stephane Rolland, simply took the idea of the catwalk or a studio shoot to showcase their work. Chanel, known for its extravagant catwalk presentations at the Grand Palais — including a rocket that appeared to take off and an actual iceberg — also opted for this simple approach, just two models individually filmed in a studio setting.

Dutch fashion artists Viktor & Rolf subverted the traditional salon presentations of haute couture of decades past through the current pandemic lens, each look described as it came into the room. Singer Mika narrated the perfectly on-point script: “Diagonal sashes restlessly cross the body and frantically entangle one of the arms. An échelle of bows endeavours to soften the impact of muffled horror …”

Can’t beat real life

Does a digital iteration of haute couture week live up to the excitement and serendipity of that week in Paris? In a word, no.

“As to whether digital will entirely replace the traditional runway show, I think that will remain to be seen,” says Ralph.

“There is also incredible value and a place for engaging with your audience, clients and friends of the brand in real life, too, so I think the future will be more about trying to ensure a healthy balance of both worlds, and doing so more responsibly.”

The next round of major shows, starting in September, will be another test point, as the houses will have had longer in our current reality to plan their attack. New York will be digital, while Paris and Milan have both said theirs will be a mix of physical and digital presentations, within health parameters. What that looks like is anyone’s guess at this stage. And certainly, many of the usual attendees will still not be travelling.

But this digital haute couture week did prove that instead of resting on its handcrafted silk laurels, as it has done for so many decades, fashion can adapt and innovate when necessary.

Which is a message the industry needs to hear — and believe — now more than ever.