This year marks Alexis Mabille's 10th anniversary as a couturier. Two weeks ago, he was decorated with the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres distinction by the French minister of culture, Fleur Pellerin. And while Mabille's exceedingly feminine designs have been unwavering, the articulation of his vision has taken all sorts of twists and turns. But as a love letter to his muses, this latest outing stood as one of his strongest in a while. Rather than go to elaborate lengths of crafting an haute couture collection around a forced idea, he channeled personal connections into personalized creations. First, he reached out to 15 of his hall-of-fame muses, including Dita Von Teese, Leslie Caron, Bérénice Bejo, Audrey Marnay, and Mounia Orosemane. Then, in lieu of a show, he enlisted photographer Matthew Brookes to capture them in portraits. Yes, the echo of John Singer Sargent was deliberate.
The most sincere message was how Mabille sought to communicate that these client connections are the beating heart of haute couture. So for Von Teese, he made an alluring emerald green jersey and duchesse satin corseted gown with a distinctive embroidered scarf detail at back. Caron, spectacularly ageless at 84, radiated updated chic in an embellished white blouse and high-waist tuxedo pants piped with vinyl and jet beading. Here's hoping Bejo wears her hand-painted gradient lace sheath as soon as her next red carpet opportunity arises. And Mabille might want to consider modifying Orosemane's inky blue taffeta shirtdress bordered with metallic lace inserts for his ready-to-wear so more women have access to it.
The collection could have lost its cohesion, given that each look was so particular, but it didn't, if only because the gigantic bows, crystals, beaded fringes, pearl lattice overlays, and painted silk flowers marked different expressions of Mabille's maximalist spirit. Brookes mentioned Mabille hammering home that old chestnut about the dress not wearing the woman. And for the first time in a while, that felt about right.
