Augustin Teboul
The Berlin-based fashion label was born in 2010 when Annelie Augustin
and Odély Teboul decided to collaborate. The designers presented their collection during Paris
Fashion Week at the Salon Dorchester at the Plaza Athénée Hotel, situated
on the Avenue Montaigne. With black as their main colour, the designers
proved that it can still be lively and alluring. Using an almost baroque
aspect, with intricate details and a mix of various materials
including leather, wool and tulle, the collection evoked a serenity, mixing modern and traditional features.
The collection was introduced as a presentation.
Claudine Ivari
The Parisian-born designer Claudine Ivari has always been passionate
about fashion and has come to reveal her enthusiasm of la mode on the
runway. The intimately small and luxurious venue situated blocks away
from les Champs-Elysées invited a number of guests to the young designer’s first fashion show.
A number of pieces were in dark and mysterious black shades with sophisticated
designs and refined cuts. The designer chose a fascinating figure
to create her collection, the Countess of Castiglione, a
high-class aristocratic society figure of the 19th century. She was known for possessing a fascinatingly delightful beauty.
Ivari chose to focus her collection on Castiglione’s ever-mystifying
and dark moments. Although the colours remained consistent,
playing around with both light and darkness, the designs differed with
sophisticated offerings, re-creating a fairy-tale collection.
Make-up was bold, exemplifying a strong and refined
Ivari woman. Delicate materials, intense embroidery and lavishly flowing
gowns had the audience yearn for more.
Tsumori Chisato
Japanese fashion designer Tsumori Chisato certainly wowed spectators
with her fabulously intricate creations and lavish designs. She had worked
with the creative Japanese clothing designer, Issey Miyake in 1977 and,
in 1990, she began her own line. Her new season’s collection took place at the Westin Hotel in Paris,
in a vast space. A fabulous winter-like canvas served as the background
as each look flowed down the runway. The designer played with cuts
and created a geometric aspect within each piece. A Chisato
woman is allowed to express herself and still feel seductive. Some ensembles were accompanied with dark cat-eye sunglasses with either black or white
rims, and others added appeal with a pair of leather gloves. The models were sensual and confident, proving that a fun, expressive
look is back in fashion.
Maison Rabih Kayrouz
‘A woman, her posture, her presence,’ read the opening line featured
in the brochure distributed to attendees at the Maison Rabih Kayrouz fashion
show entitled Waiting.
Taking place at Paris Fashion Week’s main venue, Le Palais de Tokyo,
Rabih Kayrouz presented spectacular styles and profound
taste. He praises a woman’s
every move and brings to life her strong aura, sparking her seductiveness.
The fashion
house was established in Paris in 2008. Kayrouz uses vivid colours and
creates comfortable pieces; there were knee-high
skirts with slits from the waist down, accompanied by geometric sweaters.
The Kayrouz woman tends to be independent, showing off her elegance. A large polished brass bracelet
accessorized some of the ensembles.
Fátima Lopes Portuguese designer Fátima Lopes chose to play around with contrast
and geometric elements in her new collection. The main colours were
black and various shades of blues. Fabrics included leather and suede. There were tightly fitted pants accompanied
by tops with rounded shoulders and knee-high skirts and dresses,
each piece articulating a woman’s curves. Lopes’s autumn–winter 2013–14 avoids a straight line.
This season, Lopes has more than just a new collection to celebrate:
she also has her new fragrance, Be Mine, also launched during
Paris Fashion Week. It will be available to the public in September
2013. The scent is, as the name suggests, flirtatious and charming.
Luis Buchinho
The highly successful designer from Portugal brought his
fashion expertise to the Parisian runway. Buhinho’s theme revolved around ‘the strong identity of
the Portuguese revolution’, also known as the Carnation Revolution, which
was a political uprising that began on April 25, 1974. To this day, Freedom Day, April 25, is a national holiday in Portugal.
The designer beautifully mixed his culture with his creations, incorporating personal elements. There were dark red on black, and sometimes a slight
dab of black on red, while other contrasts brought a mix of black, red
and white together for an undeniably sophisticated look. Bold features stood out in each design, revealing an urbane woman who is satisfyingly unafraid
to express her artistic self.
Odeeh
Otto Drögsler and Jörg Ehrlich are behind the Odeeh fashion
brand. Their first collection was presented during Berlin Fashion Week
in 2009. Their new collection is simple and easy to wear, with numerous
colours. From short trousers to long skirts, the looks
provide a comfortable, attractive style.
Kaviar Gauche
The Berlin-based label put on quite a show at the Couvent des Récollets. Kaviar Gauche emerged in 2005, created by Johanna Kühl
and Alexandra Fischer-Röhler. They bring together lavish fabrics and
high-end tailoring. Their autumn–winter 2013–14 collection provided a sleek, simple, sophisticated appeal. There were tranquil shades of beige and white
and sudden dabs of gold and burgundy, which created an elegant contrast. Flowing, long dresses were sometimes accompanied with
short leather tops while a short knee-high dress was matched with a long
over-the-shoulder jacket. Other looks included trousers with tops. Feminine and fresh.
Valentin Yudashkin
Russian fashion designer Valentin Yudashkin took us on a journey into a lavish winter wonderland, tucked away in the stunning Hotel Westin
in Paris. Each look made a woman practically
yearn for the winter season. From light blues and clear whites to
glistening silver, Yudashkin’s fabulous creations were absolutely
enticing to the eye. The looks were made even more lavish with stunning embroidery, including pearls and crystals, adding a glimmer to the glam. •

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