Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer Week 2023 is a wrap, and the design perfection that unfolded delighted us with its overall aura of authentic serenity.
The Haute Couture show, presented as part of its biannual occurrence in Paris, showcased the creations of impeccable, custom-designed handmade high-end fashion. Works of art exhibiting unique embellishments and trimmings.
During this season’s runways, a couple of looks to note were trending. In the Style category, pants, A-line skirts short or long with a front split, whimsical flair, and futuristic elements appeared in numerous collections. For Color, creamy neutrals, dramatic all-black looks, earthy tones, and a lovely lavender were seen throughout the shows.
Read on for a few of our favorite looks from Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer Week 2023.
Paris Haute Couture Week Spring/Summer 2023 Looks We Love!
Schiaparelli
One of our publisher KOKET’s (and ours, of course, too!) favorite designers is Schiaparelli. For the SS23 event, Schiaparelli took the art of haute couture to new heights by incorporating faux animal heads in its collection. A bold and ferocious look, and who better to wear it down the runway than supermodel legend Naomi Campbell?! In addition to this playful design approach, Schiaparelli also showcased other artistic elements in their designs. We loved their play on the pants trend as well.
Elie Saab
Our favorite part of Elie Saab is his exquisite attention to detail and use of striking embellishments set on the most elegant silhouettes. For the SS23 season, the Lebanese designer delivered a stunning collection of haute couture creations we loved. The kimono style of the look below couples with the intricate detailing that reminds us of traditional Portuguese filigree. The front split A-frame skirt look was seen across the SS23 Haute Couture runways.
Rahul Mishra
Inspired by the Netflix series Cosmos, Indian designer Rahul Mishra created a stunning SS23 Haute Couture collection filled with awe-inspiring details. A liking to this series is no surprise, given Rahul’s background in physics. In this look below, sequins delight and an aura of animalistic vibes call to us.
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Black. Black and feathers. This Jean-Paul Gaultier look has KOKET written all over it. Fiercely stylish sums up this Haute Couture members SS23 collection. Well, this ensemble is in a favorite black; other looks on the Jean-Paul Gaultier runway featured color, including the season’s signature lavender. Tailored lines with perfectly positioned frills decorate the season’s looks.
Alexandre Vauthier
Season after season since his induction in 2014, Alexandre Vauthier has created stunning haute couture collections. We love the futuristic, edgy vibe of the SS23 Haute Couture collection shown this year in Paris. Pants again appear on this brand’s runway, and the look is oh-so sharp, a true signature of Vauthier style.
Fendi
Icy neutrals and beautifully serene ombres set on structured forms paraded across the Fendi runways. At first glance rather un-captivating, but on further inspection, each look radiated an elegance filled with subtle details. Serenity was a tone felt on many runways this season, and this was definitely the case for Fendi Couture.
More to Love!
The Women of Fendi, A Behind the Scenes Story
Christian Dior
Inspired by Josephine Baker, the American-born French black star and civil rights activist, Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri created a collection filled with chic jazzy vibes. Sometimes haute couture is in your face fantastic, while other times, the softest, most precise details speak just as loudly. The SS23 show honored Josephine with a gallery of portraits commissioned by Mickalene Thomas. Shimmery, deco-esque, style radiated.
Chanel
With a set inspired by Coco Chanel’s love for animal motifs, as seen in her Rue Cambon apartment, Virginie Viard, Chanel’s creative director’s SS23 collection offered up a similar youthful vibrance. And, of course, always with signature Chanel style seen in beautiful tweeds and sophisticated silhouettes. The perfect wardrobe for the modern woman.
Valentino
While signature social points beyond the clothes appeared throughout creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli’s SS23 Haute Couture collection, Valentino’s artistry shined. Making a stand for inclusivity, looks like the one below blended gender definitions and norms while exhibiting stunning artistry and couture glamour. Inspired by clubs like the iconic Studio 54 in NYC, the show was set in a famous Paris Club, adding to the overall aura of the presentation.
Viktor & Rolf
Inverted and sideways 3D-printed looks passed down the Viktor & Rolf runway bringing whimsical smiles with them. Known for out-of-the-box shows, this collection brought a twist of fun we loved to the artistry of haute couture fashion. If you want to take this collection a step further, the statement behind it feels quite relevant, given the topsy-turvy state of our world as of late.
Alexis Mabille
While we picked this glam gold sequined suit below as a favorite, it is important to note the array of beautiful colors found in this collection. Renowned for his use of drama (in fashion and interiors!), especially in color, Alexis selected gold looks to start the show as they are wonderful for both day and night use. Another perfect example of the fabulous use of flowy pants across the SS23 haute couture season.
Giorgio Armani Prive
With a collection devoted to the theme of harlequins, starting from the diagonally-checkered runway through to touches of whimsy throughout the collection, Armani brought a lovely Venetian flair. Shimmering and twinkling graphic patterns
Stéphane Rolland
Stéphane Rolland’s gold dress above, the finale of her SS23 Haute Couture collection, went viral. And we don’t need to explain why! Inspired by a Brazilian patron saint, according to Harper’s Bazaar, Rolland wrote that “the look was meant to represent the conquistadors’ gold bursting in the rising sun’s light.” We love the ode to spiritual women, and we LOVED the organic, simple yet striking silhouettes of the black and white ensembles like the one below in his new collection.
Georges Hobeika
Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika delighted with his Spring/Summer 2023 collection. Featuring silhouettes influenced by historical archives, each piece dripped with embellishments and the most exquisite details, from embroidery and beading to tinsel and lace. And we mustn’t leave out the bold floral accents like below.
Giambattista Valli
While his usual voluptuous flowing gowns were not missed in his 2023 Spring/Summer collection and featured in delicious pinks and yellows, they were warm weather beacons to note. However, Giambattista Valli also took to the futuristic trend with looks like the one below. Clad in a silver body suit, Giambattista Valli adds his signature volume and exuberance to this outfit in the flowing skirt cape.
Zuhair Murad
Inspired by the belle epoque era of the glory days of the French Riviera circa 1970, Zuhair Murad brought a fresh and romantically sexy collection to the Paris Haute Couture runways. Wide-brimmed beachy hats pair with beading, embroidery, and feathers throughout the collection. Close your eyes, and we are sure you can see this outfit strolling alongside an azure sea in a totally unrealistic but glorious movie seen. We love how Zhuair Murad embraces a theme in his collections, we are still dreaming of the 2022 Zodiac sign theme.
Feature Image: Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Spring Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 23, 2023. (Photo Estrop by Getty Images)
More to Love!
The Haute Couture Designers of the FHCM
Creating the Haute Couture House
