At Alexandre Vauthier’s show today megastar Céline Dion caused a paparazzi frenzy. A vision in a black sequined number by the designer, Dion is one of many celebrities who favor his peculiar take on French-flavored glamour. “In this collection I worked on the very essence of French couture: le chic Parisien absolu,” he explained. When asked to expand on this rather elusive notion, Vauthier mused: “It’s really a question of allure, of certain color codes, the good balance between, say, embroidered or not embroidered. It’s the chic of having clothes with an impeccable cut, on which hours of artisanal savoir faire were spent, but which don’t look ostentatious or too exuberant. I wanted to express a balanced luxury, but extreme.”
Vauthier worked on different silhouettes. “I always want to challenge myself,” he said. One of the more obviously couture-ish shapes was slightly ’60s-inspired, as in an ultrashort velvet pouf skirt worn with a bolero embellished in gold embroideries over a pristine white shirt, or a micro pouf dress (you cannot go shorter, really) in black sequins with a white taffeta bow at the front. On the same note, a pair of satin boxer shorts showing plenty of legs were balanced by a round-sleeved white jacket, a sort of progressive version of a tuxedo, worn with a white shirt and a little black bow at the collar. The contrast between masculine and feminine accents had a rather sexy vibe.
Vauthier indulged his love for glamorous flourishes in a series of ruffled numbers likely to make Rihanna, Beyoncé, and all his showbiz clients swoon. “I worked with Maison Lemarié in developing the technicality of ruffles. We came up with some pretty incredible shapes,” he said. Indeed. Ruffles became inventive collars, sleeves, blouses, or imaginative minidresses, sinuous and undulating in silk satin, or sculpted and substantial in taffeta. A gorgeous cloud of black ruffled tulle was actually a flimsy long-sleeved top, grounded by a pencil-thin pair of silk capri pants. Tracing the plunging décolletage of an animal-printed minidress, ruffles were cut elliptically, suggesting a dramatic pair of wings.
The designer also worked on a more fluid and sensual silhouette, at times a bit androgynous, as in a few sharply tailored pantsuits. They were inspired by Françoise Hardy, the moody French chanteuse who had one of the coolest personal styles of the late ’60s. Hardy was also on the soulful soundtrack—quite a departure from the designer’s usually stronger musical tastes. “In this moment all I want is chic and softness and un peu de poésie,” Vauthier said. “We designers are like barometers. It’s absolutely not the time to go for an aggressive approach.”
