Greece may want for gold right now, but Elie
Saab’s collection of gilded lace gowns with intricately woven motifs harked
back to a time when Byzantine princesses had all the sparkle their hearts
desired.

The Lebanese designer’s autumn/winter couture collection of evening gowns
— and a few jumpsuits — bore all of the translucence and intricate
embroidery for which he has become known.
But this time, the opulent dresses which have become a firm favourite on
the red-carpet, were all about the gold in a throwback to Saab’s early work
in
the nineties — before Halle Berry won an Oscar wearing one of his dresses
in
2002 and he hit the big time. Saab said his original gowns were
“reinterpreted to evoke the glistening, golden palaces of Byzantium.”

Elie Saab’s Byzantine princess

In another nod to the nineties, models with golden laurels woven into
their
hair walked the catwalk to the throbbing strains of Nirvana which had the
front row glitterati bopping their heads and singing along to Kurt Cobain’s
lyrics.
Painstakingly embroidered vines and foliage covered a variety of dresses
in
lace, silk tulle and chiffon, several of which had flowing floor-length
capes.
Mink fur crept in on cropped sleeves, collars and purses.
Aside from the ubiquitous gold, earthy green, burgundy and black also
made
their way into the collection.
A nostalgic Saab closed off the show with a wedding gown described as
“the
very soul” of the house.
The gold, sleeveless gown with a voluminous skirt, long train and lace
embroidered veil was a reminder of the gold Saab dress worn by wife Claudine
at his own wedding, 25 years ago this month.

The second-to-last day of the Paris couture shows will also see Karl
Lagerfeld unveil a collection celebrating his 50 years with Italy’s Fendi,
which has hailed the “longest relationship between a designer and a fashion
house”.
The show will be entirely “haute fourrure” or couture fur — a material
the
luxury fashion brand has never shied away from.

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Haute couture exists exclusively in Paris and is sustained by a small
number of the world’s richest women.
The haute couture designation is protected by French law and attributed
exclusively by the ministry of industry to 14 houses whose clothes are
entirely made by hand and tailored to each client. (AFP)