The inspiration for the Elie Saab Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2015-16 collection comes from history – a personal history, the heritage of the House of Elie Saab and its founding designs of the nineties.
Gold was the leitmotif colour of the collection, inspired by those original gowns that established the Elie Saab name on the global fashion stage, reinterpreted this season to evoke the glistening, golden palaces of Byzantium. The catwalk itself was flanked with gilded panes while golden thread ran throughout the collection. There were hues of rose and antique gold mixed with delicate verdigris green, rich burgundy, opalescent pink and peridot. Golden laurels were woven into the hair, wrists and ears as filigree fine bijoux. Jewellery fused with garments – delicate golden chains clasped waists and span shoulders, suspending fluid silks and chiffons. Handworked, no two embroideries were alike, a dazzling cavalcade of technique. New geometries were discovered, in the forms of vines and foliage as well as the graphicism of Byzance motifs. Delicate lace appliqués and beadwork gave surfaces a three dimensional effect. Search inside each embroidery, and you would find a flower, the enduring emblem of the House of Elie Saab.
