The more elaborate gowns in
his sparkling, red carpet-oriented collection included a sheer tulle gown
with hazy pale blue and silver placement embroidery evoking boats on the river
Nile and palm trees, with the silvery fronds of one tree peeking over the sweetheart
neckline. Other highlights included a long-sleeved gown in tan satin peppered
with deep blue “evil eye” motifs.
Basically, this is what you
never really want to deal with at an haute couture show: being sharply elbowed
in the head (me) or heavily stood on (my seat neighbor) while a wall of
photographers goes crazy trying to shoot whomever is seated opposite, only to
find that when said photographers step away they’ve been snapping no one remotely
well-known. Maybe it’s churlish to bring it up—it’s an occupational hazard,
after all—and if the object of their desire had been Beyoncé, Meryl Streep, or
Cecile Richards (I know, totally unlikely on the last count, but a man can
always dream), then it might have been excusable. Anyway, it’s not strictly
Elie Saab’s fault, but it kind of detracts from the perception of what should
be the typical couture experience; you know: rarefied, elegant, discreet.
It is a bit of a shame,
really, because in every other respect, Saab absolutely offers the typical
haute couture experience. His is a show with a guest list heavy on
international clients, dressed to the nines (and I don’t mean the amount of
zeroes attached to the cost of the jewelry they’re wearing, or maybe I do) and
who are expressly present to see what the Lebanese designer has to offer to
further gild their lives. Perhaps more crucially, it’s one of the couture shows
that is strictly concerned with creating evening clothes that, while looking
good on the sylph-like figures of Roos Abels, Lineisy Montero, Kiki Willems, et
al., can also work on the myriad silhouettes of the women who order from him.
It’s why he thinks about the
importance of sleeves fully integrated into the total design of any given look.
There is artfully and strategically placed beading designed to emphasize and
de-emphasize different areas
of the body. And the preponderance of trailing caped backs and skirts cut to
flow over narrow pants, both much in evidence this season, can be deployed to
flatter (and disguise, which is, I guess, the same thing) the figure. Given the
amount of shimmer here (as on other couture runways this week), it appears as
if the Oscar figurine won’t be the only thing that shines at this year’s
Academy Awards. Oh, and one other thing. Attendees, take note: If you’re
looking for something to shield your eyes from the glaring L.A. sunshine while
waiting to enter the ceremony, then Saab has a solution—jewel-encrusted shades,
which matched the beading on the dresses. Anyone else who has been nurturing
that idea, then apologies; Saab has you beat.
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