Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week has always been the pinnacle of the global fashion industry. The 2017 series redefined the definition of luxury with groundbreaking creativity and exquisite craftsmanship. From dramatic show layouts to subversive design language, this season’s Haute Couture Week presented a dual revolution in vision and craftsmanship.
- Show Spectacle: Dialogue between Fashion and Architecture
Chanel’s Eiffel Tower Fantasy
Karl Lagerfeld moved the Paris landmark into the Grand Palais and created a giant replica of the Eiffel Tower, which became the most shocking show installation of the season. Models shuttled through the tower base to show Victorian-style boots – the design of patent leather and transparent resin splicing is both retro and futuristic, especially the knee-length style, which uses soft nappa leather to enhance comfort, achieving a balance between elegance and practicality6.
Schiaparelli’s Baroque Revival
Daniel Roseberry paid tribute to the brand’s grotesque aesthetics of the 1930s through gold sculpture headdresses and surreal animal elements. The collision of jewel-encrusted corsets and metal chainmail dresses challenges the mainstream of minimalism and rekindles the passion for complex craftsmanship7.
- Design language: modern deconstruction of traditional skills
Material experiment
Light and shadow game: Chanel uses material contrast in the design of long boots, using only shiny leather on the front and toe, and matte nappa leather or tweed on the sides to create a visual illusion6
Hard and soft collision: Jean Paul Gaultier combines stiff leather with transparent lace, and the black deep V dress strengthens the curves through the leather waist belt, showing the dangerous and elegant female power8
Silhouette revolution
Three-dimensional sculpture: wide shoulder design sweeps across multiple brands, Balmain reshapes the power suit through architectural shoulder cutting, and creates a strong visual tension with the waist design
Fluid aesthetics: Valentino’s waterfall pleated long skirt, which achieves dynamic drape through hundreds of hours of hand-pleating, flows like liquid when walking
- Celebrity style: fashion statements in the front row
Although there are limited records of specific celebrity looks in 2017, it can be seen from the trend review in recent years:
Classic interpretation: Kelly Rutherford (Kelly Rutherford often wears pure white suits with Schiaparelli’s iconic accessories, continuing the style of the golden age of Hollywood3
Rebellious spirit: Young idols such as Anya Taylor-Joy prefer the combination of one-shoulder jumpsuits and tassel skirts, breaking the conventions of haute couture with dramatic tailoring3
IV. Craftsmanship inheritance: the modern code of the century-old workshop
Chanel’s century-old innovation
Since its establishment in 1915, the brand has continued its handcraft tradition through the 31 Cambon workshop. In the 2017 Fall/Winter collection, embroidery craftsmen combined laser-cut leather with feathers, and each coat took more than 800 hours to make, demonstrating the brand philosophy of “innovation through repetition”9
Schiaparelli’s surreal craftsmanship
Goldsmiths and jewelers collaborated to create wearable artworks: for example, 24K gold wire was woven into a neuron-like necklace, each piece took three months of work, redefining the boundaries of haute couture7
V. Color narrative: color spectrum from dawn to starry night
Although the specific color palette data for 2017 is limited, it can be inferred based on brand continuity:
Dawn series: Chanel’s off-white tweed suit, which imitates the reflection of morning dew through pearlescent silk thread6
Midnight chapter: Dior’s galaxy-themed long skirt, which weaves dark blue satin with micro LED lights to recreate the starry sky fantasy
This fashion week not only showcases clothing, but also builds an immersive art experience. From Schiaparelli’s golden mask to Chanel’s mechanical iron tower, every detail tells the eternal dialogue between fashion and architecture, history and the future. To explore more historic moments, please refer to the brand archive and FASHION Magazine’s in-depth report26.
