“I wanted to go ‘outdoors,’ away from [our headquarters on] Boulevard Raspail, just like when we did shows, in order to show a new vibe,” said Rabih Kayrouz, who continued to explore the boundary between ready-to-wear and couture.
What he was going for here was less about a theme than “giving value to his collection of essentials, often shown in a rush.” To him, that space is a vast expanse where the cuts he considers essentials live alongside more craft-intensive designs.
For the season — he made few distinctions between his summer couture and its fall rtw continuation — the Paris-based couturier wanted to cut garments more, looking at his repertoire of shapes less for their cuts than for their graphic outline.
Among the standouts here were a “diamond-cut” top, its geometric sleeves encasing the arms in structured volumes; a boxy blouson in lacquered black; a windbreaker made elegant by its technical taffeta, and the combination of a crisp poplin blouse paired with a midi skirt, both simple but sharply defined.
In the next room, Kayrouz’s couture designs were shown on an equal footing with an orange suit he’d placed there for its juicy hue, furthering the idea of wardrobe continuity. Best embodying the balance were a simple-looking coat cut from an exquisite handwoven textured wool and an A-line dress that required 200 hours of work to wind and affix hundreds of meters of thin golden cord onto its tulle base.
“In my clothes, I want the idea of a gesture that is repeated. Even if they take a lot of time, they’re not complicated,” he said. The gesture his clients, couture or otherwise, will be repeating? Reaching for his designs.
