Photo: firstVIEW1/10Christian Lacroix, Fall 2007 Haute CoutureChristian Lacroix might have been morae connected to fantasy and the past than to the modern woman, but what tales he spun! He dreamed up clothes suited to latter-day coquettes, Gainsborough blue bloods, dance hall girls out of paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec, and Proust’s hothouse seductress, Odette de Crécy. Reveries from which I never wanted to wake up.
Photo: Indigital.tv2/10Ann Demeulemeester, Spring 1997
There was always punk poetry to Ann Demeulemeester’s designs, which were presented on models made up to look like Gothic Rapunzels. The simplicity of this dress belies its genius. Essentially a long T-shirt, its two inner ties give it a drape worthy of a Grecian sculpture while celebrating that “she’s come undone” deconstructed quality that was the Belgian’s signature.
Photo: Condé Nast Archive3/10Hussein Chalayan, Spring 2007Many designers focus on how a dress might change your life; Hussein Chalayan is the rare talent who considers how a garment itself can be transformed. He pursues this puzzle in ways both analog (he’s buried pieces to age them and made dresses of sugar that were smashed by hammers) and digital. He’s one of the few designers who has incorporated technology into the very skeleton of his pieces, taking the idea beyond a retro-futuristic aesthetic.
Photo: Indigital.tv4/10Rick Owens, Spring 2017Having relocated to Paris from Los Angeles over a decade ago, Rick Owens manages to combine an independent American spirit and fiercely individual creative vision with an offbeat sophistication that approaches the level of French couture.
Photo: Indigital.tv5/10Undercover, Spring 2004Jun Takahashi pushes fashions in strange new directions. There is both light and darkness in his work. His Spring 2004 show, a follow-up to his twee trompe l’oeil paper doll lineup of the preceding season, was shown on twins (or look-alikes) and had a melting Dalí-like vibe that seemed to comment on the transience of fashion.
Photo: firstVIEW6/10Prada, Fall 2002Even as Miuccia Prada works to erode the foundations of bourgeois good taste, so she consistently finds charm in a ’60s-inflected lady look, which commingled with Hitchcock-ian touches for Fall 2002.
Photo: Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier7/10Jean Paul Gaultier, Fall 2002 Haute CoutureWhen Jean Paul Gaultier doesn’t let fantasy get the best of him, he is capable of creating truly modern couture. Having elevated streetwear with his feathered Breton sweaterdress for Spring 2000 and his off-the-shoulder trench dress for Spring 2002, he showed swoon-worthy Doctor Zhivago looks for his Fall 2002 couture show.
Photo: Indigital.tv8/10Balenciaga, Spring 2006Nicolas Ghesquière traded futurism for frothy femininity (including ruffs!) to great effect for Spring 2006.
Photo: Indigital.tv9/10Imitation of Christ, Fall 2001Imitation of Christ followed up their debut, which was presented as a mock wake at a funeral home, with a splashy presentation that had the models arriving at a faux red carpet event. The first to arrive was creative director Chloë Sevigny, in a vintage lingerie dress over pants. You could argue if this was fashion or styling, but there was no doubt that for a short time Imitation of Christ defined downtown cool in spades.
Photo: Indigital.tv10/10Viktor & Rolf, Spring 2003The Dutch duo consistently reminds us that fashion should be fun. For Spring 2003, they did so with a flowery dance party.
