I am not going to go in to a lengthy discourse regarding Haute Couture Designer Bernard Perris. I knew him well. I was introduced to him by Marie José Eymere Jalou the Editor in Chief of L’Officiel magazine back in the late 80′s, just before he was hired by Jean-Louis Scherrer as head designer of his Couture House.
I will say this however; he was one of the kindest, fair and compassionate individuals I had ever met in this BIZ called FASHION. Now to any of you who knew him, you will understand immediately what I mean and how rare those virtues are in our BIZ.
Working with him was a rare pleasure. He was not afraid to being open to the creative possibilities proposed to him, even to those that may have been alien to his aesthetic culture. That in itself took a lot of courage and was a sign of an artist who was comfortable with who he was. Bernard felt secure in exploring creative concepts that were outside of his familiar territory. He was a highly respected Haute Couture Designer that left his indelible mark on the industry.
My only regret was not taking him up on his frequent invitations to my wife at the time and I to visit him in the south of France.
Looking around me during one of my fashion shoots, something struck me as very interesting and that was that those around me who were considered the Fashionably Fashionable were more than just Fashion conscious, they were attuned to a strongly codified aesthetic. What is it that those in the arts and in this case the creativity of those at the core of the Fashion “Mode” of expression have that gives them that proverbial sixth sense. Why is Anna Wintour, Anna Wintour? Why is Glenda Bailey, Glenda Bailey and Franca Sozzani, Franca Sozzani. Was it because of a heightened censorial aesthetic that like so many artists, is only reserved for the privileged few and has been lost in most “Adults”, remembered only as a far off beautiful imaginary place once inhabited but long abandoned.
As children, all of us were once incredibly creative, free flowing and unencumbered spirits. Expressing ones inner self was never considered a challenge. It just happened. When the inevitable iron curtain drops somewhere around adolescence, why do only a very few get through. Is it perhaps that those who did not exercise their childhood to their fullest, are able to get through? Well, rather than pondering this notion for too long, I would like to discuss what makes that artist, “That” artist.
Most great artists generally have a disregard for classic authority and consider rules for those that need to be told what and what not to do. The Greats never had to be told what to do to become great. They just flew, unencumbered by convention and the weight of rules. Now when I speak of rules, I am not referring to “Though Shalt Not Kill…” I am alluding to the “You must compose your painting using the “Rule of Thirds” or “You can’t mix THAT fabric with that Material…” or “Your photo need to be lit this way to be credible…” etc.
When you observe some of the great Fashion Designers one thing will become apparent, they broke with convention. But does just breaking with convention make you creative? I don’t think so. That is just being reactionary. The creative breaking of convention implies, I believe, in a new, radical or novel approach to perceiving reality and how you solve design problems within that new paradigm. I am not saying that one must create something to be creative. Of course a concept in the written form is a very powerful tool and mode of expression. But being that we are discussing Fashion, being able to create, concretize, discover and illuminate that creation in to a tangible form. That is what these visionaries were able to achieve. The concretization of play, of fun, of child.
From the visionary Charles Frederick Worth who created the first Couture Fashion House in Paris, to Paul Poiret with his Harem Pants and on to the legendary Gabrielle Chanel, who democratized fashion for women, there have always been creative visionaries.
From Christian Dior’s petticoats and tight waists to Cristobal Balenciaga’s multiplicity of sleeve design variations and onward to Pierre Cardin who became the first designer to license his product line.
Were these marvellous quirks of nature clairvoyant with an intuitive understanding of the human condition of their time? Or were they Adult Children, just playing, having fun and living through their creations? I believe it is all of the above and more.
Whether it was Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Claude Montana, Issey Miyake, Kenzo, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix or Alexander McQueen. They all were part of the Fashionably Fashionable Elite group of Artists.
Now back to where I was in the beginning. Looking around me and in observing those in the studio I am working in, I come to the realization that what drives all of them is one very powerful attribute. That ingredient, not purchasable, taught or learned, is Passion. I believe that passion drives creativity and creativity drives passion. Most of… No, I would say all of them still know how to play.
That may seem rather simplistic and it probably is, but simply put “through the eyes of a child…”
from 10 Official Members (Adeline André, Anne Valérie Hash, Chanel, Christian Dior, Dominique Sirop, Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maurizio Galante, Stéphane Rolland missing Christian Lacroix this season)
from 4 Correspondents Members (Head Quarters based somewhere else than Paris: Elie Saab, Giorgio Armani, Maison Martin Margiela, Valentino)
from 7 Guest Members (Adam Jones, Alexis Mabille, Atelier Gustavo Lins, Christophe Josse, Josephus Thimister, Lefrant.Ferrant, Maison Rabih Kayrouz, missing Alexandre Matthieu, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Jean-Paul Knott, Josep Font, Marc Le Bihan this season)
Spring-Summer collections are generally less interesting in terms of creativity because of the nature of the season there is less layering to play with and less choice of materials.
The economic malaise resulting in a less than flamboyant, more conservative and less risqué collections:
Josephus Thimister inspired by the First World War and Anne Valérie Hash who created a hybrid mix of vintage clothing offered by celebrities and her own materials, stated “I had this idea to do something about personal clothing, memory, and identity, so I started writing to people I admire and asking them to send me something of theirs to transform”.
The resulting depopulation of the designers who used to be present for the Haute Couture shows, has affected the competitive spirit. The older generation has all but nearly disappeared with the likes of Emanuel Ungaro, Valentino, YSL. The new wave of Designers have yet to reach the talent and the notoriety of their peers.
Many presented scant limited looks collections: with only 22 at Givenchy, 14 at Anne Valérie Hash, 11 at Martin Margiela, 34 at Dior. Others like Elie Saab played with only 2 to 3 different patterns and cuts for their complete collection, with only slight variation in prints and embroideries.
For the Spring-Summer 2010, I am under the impression that Designers were not as committed to their Couture Collection. Perhaps they have reached their creative point of saturation, as wearing too many hats often dilutes what a single hat could have accomplished.
I really missed Yves Saint Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro, Christian Lacroix this season and Valentino Garavani!
There were some excellent shows though with wonderfully refined cuts and details from: Givenchy and Dior for their daywear collection as well as Armani Privé and the Stéphane Rolland collection featured below.
I can’t wait to see the prêt-à-porter commencing next week in New York to see what the fall-winter 2011 season will bring…
Looks – Maison Martin Margiela, Zuhair Murad, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Anne Valérie Hash, Chanel
Shoes – Chanel, Gaultier Paris, Chanel
Beauty looks – Givenchy, Gaultier Paris, Givenchy
My favourite pick from the Spring-Summer Couture 2010 Collections
Stéphane Rolland has put together a complete collection to wear for all occasions: from daywear, to cocktail, to red carpet gowns. He has come out with fluid, fitted and nicely proportioned silhouettes with overlapping blade like laser-cut Plexiglass keystone patterns framing the shoulder-line, pockets, hem and neckline. It is as if he accessorized much of his collection with finely cut, wafer sized sheets of opaque quartz crystal and used these varieties of shapes and sizes to frame and enhance the femininity of them. He also playfully used high gloss painted patterns to give a canvas like worthiness to his “Art Pieces”.
A nice mix that shows that Couture can rhyme with modernity.
Details from Stéphane Rolland Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2010
