That most ”in” of fashion institutions, the fall couture shows, ended last week in Paris with the collection of Valentino (who has held this last-to-show spot in the biannual couture week for years).
The couture is not the same as ready-to-wear, the clothes bought ”off the rack” in stores. Rather, it features made-to-order creations that are often fantastically high-priced (up to $25,000 or $30,000 for an all-out evening dress). Its clientele, surprisingly, is about 70 percent American, and includes such fashion stars as Nan Kempner, Lynn Wyatt and Betsy Bloomingdale. Still, the couture is not a money-maker. Even in good times-before the Gulf war (Middle Eastern customers are also good customers)-it was estimated to lose $1 million a year. On average, even ”big” houses like Yves Saint Laurent or Dior sell less than 1,500 couture items a year.
However, the couture more than makes up for its losses with spinoff ventures like ready-to-wear, fragrances and licensees, and it has influence completely out of proportion to its small size. It is, you might say, a test run for what will later appear on the ready-to-wear runways of the world. Or even on the first floor of your favorite mall.
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Judging from the recent parade of fall fashions, following are the couture trends to watch:
– The Golden Rule: Gold lace-trimmed cocktail and evening things at Christian Lacroix, and gold embroidered silk tulle makes a short evening dress at Jean-Louis Scherrer.
– Beads & sequins: Like Gianfranco Ferre`s coat, Lacroix`s sequin jacket and Versace`s long-sleeved cocktail dress trimmed with beaded checkerboard cuffs.
– Teeny hemlines: Not much longer than a swimsuit, and appearing at a bare minimum at Claude Montana for Lanvin, and Versace-longer (an inch or two above the knee) at Louis Feraud, Nina Ricci and Balmain.
– Longer hemlines: Three and 4 inches above the ankle are still straws in the wind at Ungaro, Pierre Cardin and Saint Laurent.
– Ultima tulle: Karl Lagerfeld has discovered new uses for black net at Chanel, where he constructs layers of it into fitted little fencing jackets and bouncy ballet skirts for evenings.
– The barmaid look: Chanel`s bustiers for evening.
– Patent pending: Lagerfeld sometimes substituted black patent for Chanel`s signature chains and braid bindings.