Daily Front Row

2013 January 24

Paris Couture: Maison Martin Margiela

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Maison Martin Margiela Haute Couture Spring 2013
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(PARIS) Maison Martin Margiela
The label was officially awarded entré into the elite world of haute couture at the end of last season, rendering yesterday's showing its second among the upper echelons of the fashion world. This wasn't another parade of elegant gowns, so pervasive at couture shows: the anonymous team of designers began the show with masked models parading a pair of short black sleeveless collared dresses, one of which had a mid-section striped with white paint stripes. Thus, Margiela's interpretation of fashion's current love affair with black and white. A tinge of traditional Japanese silhouetting pervaded via a beaded column dresses layered with black tulle, say, or a strapless empire waist dress trimmed with a turquoise skirt, avec a hint of a fuchsia slip peeping below. The show closed with the embellished housecoat trend. In lieu of florals or feathers, however, the coats were made from thousands of silver, blue, yellow, and orange metallic wrappers sewn into pongee silk. As for the front row? Raf Simons, Nicola Formichetti and Kanye West. While West will likely be snatching up the models' headpieces for his avant-garde concert costumes, Formichetti is probably preserving the wrapper coats for Lady Gaga, who will be en amoureux with their shock appeal.