Art imitates life and life is dictated by the times we live in. And, as history proves, time remains largely cyclical. No, this is not a derivation of an insanely complicated law of physics but just me trying to set the tone to explain what the world witnessed at the recently concluded Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2021.

If we have to go anything by the jaw-dropping showcases there, we have to agree that when fashion and art combine to form a divine intersection, mere mortals refer to it as haute couture. And just like how the plague of 1918 was followed by the Roaring 20s, one can hope that we follow that same cycle of change and Paris dared to showcase that hope through clothes — beautiful, ethereal with a dose of post-pandemic practicality.

While the audience was missing, beauty fused with practicality in design was not. Creativity and design were the heroes in each presentation, making up for the lack of physical touch. Schiaparelli proposed a focus on form rather than volume, while Giambattista Valli continued his love affair with volume — and lots of it. Armani Privé made its power suits a tad effervescent while Fendi showcased slimmer silhouettes but with a lot of crystals. Christian Dior advocated magic and phantasm, while Chanel showcased a bohemian wedding. And our very own Rahul Mishra focussed on a mindful rejuvenation of life with a collection in organza and tulle inspired by mushrooms. Here are a few glimpses:

Chanel

Virginie Viard envisioned a bohemian family wedding, complete with a mother, aunt and a niece and even rebellious guests who ditch the expected feminine silhouettes — as she showcased a collection reflective of the times. Big skirts have been paired with white shirts, tweed vests have been paired with pants and beautiful embroidery has been paired with tiered dresses or simple silhouettes enhanced by the detailing. Viard has provided luxury in the detailing with beautiful craftsmanship, crochet work and embroidery as every design has been elevated with a muted sense of the classic, like only Chanel can.

Christian Dior

Inspired by characters of the tarot, Maria Grazia Chiuri created a mythical film that she said showed the world’s belief in magic, especially in these difficult times. Empire-line waists, velvets, jacquards, romance and even a chain-mail veil are elements of the collection showcased in the medieval-esque, gilded affair. If we dream of a world back on its tinsel toes, then this is what we see the swinging set wearing.

Fendi

As the head of Fendi, Kim Jones officially took on a category of designing that he has never done before and how! He showcased his collection inspired by Virginia Woolf’s Orlando and Charleston farmhouse, the 16th-century place of congregation of the famous Bloomsbury set. In a pre-taped video shot at Paris’s Palais Brongniart, male and female models (echoing the theme of Orlando) crisscrossed between glass mazes spelling out “F”, showcasing “realistic” couture with slimmer silhouettes, a degree of androgyny, crystal-embellished dresses, caped jackets and suits. For his debut, Jones also brought out an army of his and the brand’s friends in the form of Demi Moore, Kate and Lila Moss, Christy and James Turlington, Adwoa and Kesewa Aboah but safe to say, none of them upstaged his designs, ensuring him a sound debut.

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Armani PrivE

Inspired by the beauty and quietness of an empty Milan, Giorgio Armani’s collection was filmed at the Via Borgonuovo palazzo, whose muted luxury proved to be the perfect palette for his collection. Ethereal greys made glistening with crystals and beadwork and his quintessential sharp tailoring made fluid by a translucent panel here or a touch of transparency there. Sharp shoulders had fluid skirts or a deep neck and darker hues were balanced with some shimmer and pastel.

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Giambattista Valli

Valli asserted the fact that couture sold throughout the pandemic with another collection that bore testimony to his love for volume. Tiered taffeta, tulle in candy colours and voluminous hair marked this collection showcased alongside a male ballet dancer and images of space from Seville. As he now-famously said, his designs could be inspired by Italy and made in Paris but can be worn in Beijing!

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Schiaparelli

Fresh on the heels of Lady Gaga’s stunning American Inauguration Day ensemble, Daniel Roseberry has imagined women as beings who do not need a fluid silhouette to define their gender. Bodices structured with abs, fitted forms in a far cry from the 2020 loungewear trends, pink, whites and blacks, and an extension of their gilded bijoux continued in this collection.

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Valentino

Reasserting the legacy of handmade clothes especially within the context of a post-pandemic world, the collection focused more on the texture of bare surfaces than a narrative necessarily. Men in the show aligned with Pierpaolo Piccioli’s belief in genderless fashion as out came trench coats and layers with a pop of neon or some exquisite handiwork on a pastel jacket. Couture has definitely been made more realistic with finer detailing getting bulk of the designer’s attention. Couture is luxury and his fine tailoring exudes that from every inch.

Rahul Mishra

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Taking a break from his love for florals, Mishra dived deep into inspiration of the mushrooming kind, quite literally. Showcased through a film shot at a marble “dump yard” in Rajasthan, the muted palette shows colour in its most natural form, displaying how life finds a way to mushroom out of waste. Environmental degradation and the pall of gloom of the last year have clearly played on the designer’s mind as he draws from textures such as the bark of a tree, embroidered on tulle and organza or embellished with wildflowers. Slow couture fashion made wearable and realistic is how we see Mishra’s The Dawn.