From the couture debut of Ashi Studio to the last of the big houses – Fendi – showcasing their collection, here are all the highlights from day three of Paris Haute Couture Week.
Ashi Studio Couture FW23
Ashi Studio
Ashi Studio unveiled its inaugural haute couture collection on the final day of the fashion week in Paris. Revealed at the historic Theatre du Chatelet, Ashi explained that the spectacular collection was inspired by Patrick Süskind’s hauntingly powerful novel Perfume. Key themes for the classic text which are explored in the designers capsule include passion, obsession and mystery.
Fendi
Fendi was the last of the big houses to showcase a collection at this year’s Haute Couture Week. Artistic Director Kim Jones put forward a capsule which was a response to Delfina Delletrez Fendi’s high jewellery collection (each of the models was sent down the runway wearing a high jewellery pairing to their couture look). It was the first time the fourth-generation heiress to the house of Fendi has designed for the label. Jones himself admitted it was an unorthodox approach but said that it worked for the house: ““It was nice to work on the jewellery first…You don’t normally have this, but at Fendi, we all work together.” The result was a collection which felt both timeless and fluid, each look representing a moment of understated elegance.
Gaurav Gupta
Indian designer Gaurav Gupta presented his second-ever Haute Couture Week collection in the French capital. According to Gupta, he was inspired by ancient Indian texts for the collection, namely the “Hiranyagarbha” ( the creation of the universe in vedic philosophy). Ahead of the collection’s runway debut Gupta said “according to the most ancient Indian scriptures, [called] the Vedas, this is where everything started. It’s the beginning of everything, the starting point, the golden light. That very purity of creation is what really excites me.” Through the collection there were shades of literal gold, as well as ivory, eggshell, deep brown, lime and vibrant green. Gupta’s love for sculpted curves and voluminous creations appeared throughout the fabulous new collection.
Maison Sara Chraibi
Moroccan label Maison Sara Chraibi revealed its latest collection en plein air in Paris on the final day of Haute Couture Week. Reminiscent of another slower era, the sound of a galloping horse announced the start of the show. Models then followed along a gravel runway. The capsule was a mix of sculptured silhouettes and geometric patterns. Theatrical oversized jewellery and hooded gowns also made an appearance in the unique collection.
Rami Kadi
Lebanese designer Rami Kadi unveiled a couture collection in Paris rooted in the charm of old Hollywood. Dubbed “Film Noir” the collection featured 31 looks, featuring sleek contours and structured forms. Throughout the collection there was a glamorous mix of crystal-adorned corsets, netted pearls, intricate embroidery, elaborate beading, and sequin embellishments tracing geometric lines.
