A review of this season’s France and Italy’s Haute Couture shows

Gowns and grandeur galore. 

Haute couture season has come and gone over the past few weeks amidst the European summer glow of two of fashion’s biggest capitals: France and Italy. Designers beamed with pride at the displays of their most elegant hand-crafted high fashion creations. Designers such as Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Valentino, and more adorned their settings with gowns, suits, and sets of all sorts of beauty and boldness that have set the tone for trends to come. Here are some of the most stand-out shows of the haute couture season. 

Valentino

Set on the steps of Rome’s Piazza di Spagna, Valentino’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli unveiled his 2023 haute couture collection titled “The Beginning,” taking on the past and the present of the house of Valentino. Piccioli used “classic silhouettes in ethereal materials;” inspired from the beginning of Valentino, while leaving a touch of his own contemporary genius in the collection. 

In contrast to the mundane stone steps of the piazza, the designer opted for bright fluorescents, optical prints, and various feathered headsets and heels mixed with an endless supply of sequins. As the models descended the steps of the show, English singer Labrinth performed his prolific songs in the background from the hit show Euphoria.  

Fendi 

Italian luxury took to Paris for the Fendi Autumn Winter haute couture show on July 7th. Envisioned by the director of womenswear Kim Jones and the director of menswear Silvia Venturini Fendi, the show was a dream of soft silhouettes and delicate materials crafted to capture “light and air” while incorporating luminous embellishments. The collection, according to the designer’s social media, is “dedicated to natural beauty and man-made feats of creativity” mixing softness and structure throughout the collection. 

Jones took a step back from the tunnel vision of inspiration from Rome, and instead took inspiration from both Rome and Paris, while adding Kyoto, Japan as a third source of artistry. Gowns that glitter with hand-cut and sewn silver panels, sharp-cut suits with bold lines, and sparkling mesh panel dresses are just a few features of Fendi’s latest couture collection. 

Giorgio Armani

The description behind the Giorgio Armani Privé Fall Winter 2023 haute couture show is nothing short of the truth: the show offered “an escape into dreams and creativity.” Simplicity and sophistication were met with a side of “splashes of bright color” that undoubtedly sparkled under the strict spotlight on the runway. 

The collection mixed femininity throughout all styles of outfits, from embroidered pantsuits to sparkling strapless gowns. Through the eyes of Armani himself, the designer put together elements of realism and refined art to bring power to feminine energy for the epitome of a creative dream-like fashion show. Pieces such as long patterned coats, satin pants, and sequin embroidered evening gowns were just a few of the most notable items in the collection. 

Dolce and Gabbana 

The most dazzling dramatics of haute couture season could be found in one of Sicily, Italy’s most historic sites, Piazza del Duomo, for Dolce and Gabbana’s 2023 Alta Moda haute couture show. Celebrating 10 years of Alta Moda, Dolce and Gabbana chose the baroque setting for one of the most breathtaking shows of the season. In a bid to capture Siciliy’s rich history, “beauty, traditions and timeless Italian craftsmanship,” Dolce and Gabbana put on a theatrical masterpiece through the decadence of embroidered 3-dimensional capes, flower appliques, and yards of lace that go on forever. It is impossible to miss the hand-crafted artistry behind every look. 

Veils and headscarves were the accessories of the show; draping across models’ heads either adorned with lace trim or just on their own. Romantic neoclassic and baroque themes such as cherubs and embroidered gold sculpture scrolls adorned many of the pieces while tying in traditional Italian components. 

Elie Saab

There is no one else besides designer Elie Saab who has captured the moment when the sun is slipping away and there is a second in time between day and night through fashion. When designing his 2023 haute couture show, Saab decided to capture “the subtle in between day and night” through the clothes on the runway. As Saab unveiled his creations, “each awe-inspiring silhouette personifies the power and grace of the everchanging setting sun” through the use of curving lines, beaded fringe, opulent textures, and more. 

Alongside the aim to embody the setting sun and the light we see peaking out as it sets, Saab continued his long-recognized themes of ethereal and shimmering designs that feel as if they came from a dream. There was no shortage of tulle, billowing silhouettes, and embellishments ranging from feathers and beads to crystals and sequins. Colors ranged from the deepest of black and red to the softest of pink and blue.