PHIVOS ISTAVRIOGLOU REPORTS : HAUTE COUTURE FW 10/11 * A FASHION DIARY
A COUTURE
DIARY PARIS FW 10/11
Dear Filep and POP iDEALS, Sunday, July 4th, 2010
Sunday’s my first night in Paris for the Haute Couture, and I’m already out on the town, meeting with friends. The weather’s amazing. I’m having dinner outside at L’Avenue, my canteen of sorts when I’m in Paris. Then I’m off to Curio Parlor to say “hello” to my friends Hugues Ferrière and Olivier Coulomb from Buvez Madison, where I was a guest DJ last January. They are the sweetest guys, and it’s great catching up with them. Curio Parlor is very cozy and low-key but I still stay out until 2am! The whole night’s such a great start to my time in Paris.
Monday, July 5th, 2010
2:30pm • People often ask me if I ever OD on fashion. Of course I say, “no way,” and that’s especially the case after seeing something as special and out-of-this-world as John Galliano’s presentation for Christian Dior. The show takes place on the grounds of the Musée Rodin (a gorgeous spot to begin with).
It’s a small venue, with limited space, and I feel very lucky to be there. John tells me he was inspired by the idea of beautiful flowers all wrapped up for special delivery.
Everything is brilliantly colored–the makeup, the cellophane headdresses, and of course the clothes themselves.
It’s a short show, but each look’s incredibly detailed, full of frothy tulle and mix-and-match colors. I’m still feeling “wowed.” It’s a real feast for the eyes and the imagination–less about wearable clothes and more about possibilities.
Monday night’s busy, and lots of fun, with cocktails at Colette for Derek 
Blasberg‘s book-signing, Alexis Mabille’s presentation at Angelina and Didier Ludot’s party for Carven, in the Palais Royal. The cocktail party–like everything at Colette–is fab. Everyone stops by, including Lou Doillon, Daphne Guinness, Lauren Santo Domingo and Rebekah McCabe. I also meet Erdem Moralioglu, the designer of Erdem, and my longtime friend on Twitter, BryanBoy.
8pm • Alexis Mabille’s presentation’s lovely but hot –the air’s stifling inside Angelina, the tea salon on rue de Rivoli. Fortunately, the clothes are very beautiful, perfect for cocktail parties, romantic dinners or perhaps a big gala.
Alexis says he focused on helping busy career women look extraordinary–and his solution’s couture separates, designed to mix easily with the rest of a client’s wardrobe. Of course, it’s great to catch up with Alexis, as I’ve followed his career for a long time and feel proud to have known him when.
Didier Ludot runs the well-known vintage boutique in the Palais Royal, which 
is a wonderful setting for any party. This one celebrates Carven, and shows vintage items mixed with new designs. It’s a beautiful night, and the party spills outside, complete with live music, cocktails and lovely young models wearing Carven. Best of all, charming Jared Leto stops by–and chatting with him is the evening’s pièce de résistance!
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
11am • Giorgio Armani usually shows near the Trocadero, but this season he chooses the Espace Vendôme–a much smaller venue. It’s a good move, because it shows off the clothes to great advantage.
The entire presentation says “total class.” Mr. Armani is a master tailor who knows how to fit pants perfectly. I don’t usually love his day wear, but this collection’s really chic. And, of course, the evening gowns are sublime–totally wearable and very red carpet!
Giorgio Armani always attracts an “A List” crowd. I say “hello” to Georgina Brandolini, who’s there with her gorgeous daughter, Bianca. And Claire Danes arrives with her husband, the actor Hugh Dancy. Even surrounded by paparazzi, she manages to look so fresh! And, of course, Daphne Guinness’s also a guest, looking ravishing–as always–in white.
2:30pm • What Stéphane Rolland has done with his own Haute Couture collection since leaving Jean-Louis Scherrer is simply stunning. His clothes are unique–very architectural but also very sensual. And I like the sense of fun 
he added with little details like delicate sequins on tights. This season, Stéphane tells me his idea’s to “protect, cover and celebrate” women, by wrapping them in softness (like cocoons). “Not aggressive,” he says, “but still strong.” One dress is more beautiful than the last. Stéphane doesn’t attract a paparazzi crowd, which is nice–you’ve time to focus on his beautiful craftsmanship. It helps, too, that Stéphane is so charming, and so happy to talk about his work! I love seeing his shows–he just gets better and better each season.
4pm • Sometimes, being at the Haute Couture can feel like a dream, like living in a different century. This year, Givenchy puts on a presentation–not a runway show–at the historic Hôtel d’Évreux in the Place Vendôme. First of all, the setting’s incredible. Then, the clothes are simply beyond. It’s Old World meets the new Givenchy,
and the whole thing takes my breath away. Three subtle themes run through the collection–porcelain white, blush and gold–inspired by the Mexican surrealist painter, Frida Kahlo. Each piece evokes powerful symbols from Amerindian legends. There are subtle skeletons of lace re-embroidered on blush cat suits layered under light silk tulle dresses, jackets and gowns. There are also crystals and lace highlighting contours of the body, hand-painted fur jackets and intricate silk-fringed gowns that are beguiling and modern.
I feel like I’m going back in time–and yet it’s so modern! My favorite’s the long blush dress with sleeves covering the fingers. And I love that there’s no need for jewelry–no further need to accessorize. Any single piece from this collection could stand alone–a true masterpiece!
8pm • Everyone looks forward to the Chanel show, and why not? Karl Lagerfeld is a genius, and whether you end up liking the majority of the collection or not, his spectacular productions are always full of surprises. This year, there’s a huge gold lion in the middle of the stage (Gabrielle Chanel was a Leo), and the models walk around its legs. The audience’s full of celebrities: Milla Jovovich, Jessica Alba, Leighton Meester and Anna Mouglalis (star of the recent movie, Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky) to name just a few. Natalia Vodianova looks smashing in a sequined jacket and short skirt.
The show starts off with signature tweeds, including some nice bolero jackets, slim dresses and skirts. All the models wear boots–there are no other shoes at all. The show moves on to lots of sequins and glitter, which I think is less successful. The pièce de résistance is the bride coming out at the end with Baptiste Giabiconi, who’s wearing a plush lion’s head mask. He must be dying in the heat–it’s super chaud in the Grand Palais. At the end of a Chanel show, everyone wants to talk to Karl–he’s talented, he looks amazing and he’s so charming. I have to wait a while to congratulate him but, in the meantime, I have a chance to catch up with Sébastien Jondeau and some of my other friends at Chanel. Laetitia Crahay, Chanel’s accessories designer, looks amazing in a couture gown she’s cut short and jewelry she’s designed–dragon bracelets and a Chanel cuff from the Paris-Shanghai collection. She’s also carrying the Chinese “Take Away” bag we were presented with at the Métiers d’Art show in Shanghai last December! Laetitia is just so chic–I love her–and her take on accessories is very amusing! I must admit, it’s been a long day, so after Chanel I take my ever-so-stunning friend Lopy Zoulovits to Costes for a late dinner. Of course, I end up sitting next to Stéphane Rolland, whose show I’ve seen this morning!
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
12:30pm • Elie Saab is always known for his beautiful red carpet gowns. This season, he takes inspiration from one of his favorite theaters, the Fenice opera house in Venice. “La Fenice” means “the phoenix,” and that’s the perfect name for a theater with such an amazing history–it’s burned down and been rebuilt again and again. Elie uses the colors of its décor –crimson, gold, dusty green–as well as evocative materials like velvet, chiffon, lace and plenty of beading.
It’s a pretty collection, if perhaps a little safe. His mix of fabrics is beautiful–everything has great movement. The outstanding piece’s a transparent red lace-and-tulle gown on Karolina Kurkova–to die for! I have a chance to talk to her after the show and she says she rarely does the couture shows. I’m certainly happy to see her in that dress. Wow! When Lopy & I congratulate Elie on another beautiful show, Lopy tells him the red dress’s her favorite, and she wishes she could look like Karolina in it. Elie’s sweet–he says, “But of course you can wear it, Lopy!”
6pm • There seems to be a trend this year for smaller venues–and, keeping with that, the Valentino défile is held in the company’s atelier on the Place Vendôme.
I love this kind of intimate setting because you can really see the clothes. It’s the way Haute Couture’s meant to be seen. It’s clear from the start that Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri, Valentino’s new design team, are catering to a younger clientele. Many of the dresses are very short and some are even baby dolls. There’s one look, above –a black-and-white ensemble with a beaded bolero, skirt and white shirt–that (with some changes) Lopy can see herself wearing. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but this is a difficult collection for me. However, the fabrics and workmanship are nothing less than outstanding. As Pier Paolo tells me after the show, he’s faced with the challenge of “evolving” the Haute Couture while maintaining Valentino’s magic. I’m also pleased to bump into my friend Lucio Salvatore, a very talented artist I’ve known for ages. I didn’t even realize he was in Paris!
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
The Haute Couture isn’t just about clothes–many of the finest jewelers also host small presentations of their haute joaillerie collections.
Glass of Moët in hand, noon finds me at Chanel’s cocktail presentation in its Place Vendôme flagship boutique. The entertainment’s amusing–women dressed in rather crazy Russian outfits–and the jewelry’s diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds. Everything’s gorgeous, and beautifully made, but a little too classic for me! Diamonds may be girls’ best friends, but I suppose I have more whimsical taste in jewelry.
For that reason, I love the Van Cleef & Arpels collection, “20,000 Leagues under the Sea” (or, as they call it in France, Les Voyages Extraordinaires). One usually thinks of Van Cleef as making very classic pieces, but it also has the artistry to produce something like this incredible new collection. 
The 19th-century works of Jules Verne are translated into the language of stones and it’s indeed spectacular! I’m given a special tour by the Maison’s creative director, Nicolas Bos, whom I’ve met a couple years ago at a Van Cleef gala in Cannes during the film festival. As he explains, the idea behind this collection’s the emotion of nature and living jewels. He wants to evoke a paradise where roses have no thorns, where an opal looks like the earth viewed from space and where a client can move a diamond rocket around a star-studded, lapis lazuli sky. The House will unveil the 100-piece collection at the 25th Parisian Biennale des Antiquaires in September. Only 33 items are on view during my visit, but they surely manage to convey the beauty and craftsmanship behind the project. Revisiting Jules Verne’s obviously creatively inspiring–the theme of Nature runs through the entire collection. There are jewels suggesting the sinuous source of the Nile, penguins diving off a tourmaline glacier, diamond-encrusted polar bears and even a whale spouting diamond spray. And then, at the end of my visit, I have the great pleasure of meeting June Anderson, the famous opera singer. She lives in Paris, but I’ve heard her sing countless times at the Met Opera in New York!
Last year during one of the shows I met Sarah Besnainou, the jewelry designer at Eternamé. That week, my schedule was so packed, I didn’t have time to see her collection; but this time, when I bumped into her again I promised I would swing by. She shows her collection in a place called Boudoir, which’s very cozy and chic. And while not every piece wows me like I was wowed at Van Cleef & Arpels,
I think Sarah has some great ideas. I particularly like a diamond/sapphire bracelet, and a titanium/lapis/diamond cuff. And Sarah herself is wearing a diamond/onyx bracelet that’s very chic and wearable, day or night. Sarah promises her next collection will be very special, and you’ll be able to have any piece you want made to order. This is one of my favorite things–meeting young designers and watching them grow…
A bientôt!
Phivos Istavriogou
Fashion Correspondent
Credits: All Runaway photos WWD
THE SUBSTANCE OF HYERES
Text and photos by Matthew Zorpas. Photos edited by Filep Motwary.
“When someone asks me what is Hyères Festival all about; why it gets more buzz than any other fashion week; what’s so special about it? Well, to be honest with a history of 25 years it’s hard to know where to begin. However, I think I figured out the answer with my second visit. Paris is known for haute couture, Milan for classic fashion, New York and London for ready-to-wear and contemporary fashion. Hyères Festival, however, is the only fashion festival that celebrates everything together; a combination of the villa’s Noailles history and Hyères beautiful landscape, it’s unique selection of photographers and designers and it’s diverse audience, makes it a special and a phenomenal festival.
Hyères, often called Hyères -les- Palmiers (Hyères-the-Palm-trees) is a fabulous city of 50,000 in the South of France. Not many places in the world, offer the diversity and range of natural beauty and architectural scenery that are all within a journey in that city. Because of its history, Hyères has both a very interesting old city center and a fascinating district with the villas and hotels that were built between 1860 and 1930. It’s small enough, that you’ll discover most of it in just an hour or two but the maze of interesting old narrow streets on the hillside, lovely houses, smooth wine and tasty food can provide hours of wander and exploring.
Located in the hills above Hyères, the villa Noailles is an early modernist house, where in 1926 Charles Noailles commissioned Robert Mallet-Stevens to design it as the Noailles family residence. Throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s, the Noailles villa was an important patron of modern art and design. Artists such as Man Ray, Miro, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Luis Bunel, and Jean Cocteau among others worked in and around the villa. The Ministry of Culture decided in the late 70’s to list the villa as a national monument after years of standing unoccupied and dilapidating between 1947 and 1970. Since then the villa Noailles holds the Festival International de Mode et de Photographie and a series of design, photography and architecture exhibitions.
The Festival International de Mode et de Photographie is directed by Jean-Pierre Blanc and every spring, between April and May, it passionately presents a selection of ten new young international designers and photographers, enabling new talents to exhibit alongside established names of the industry at villa Noailles in Hyères.
Lasting just three days, young fashion designers from all over the world present to the public their first collection in a series of fashion shows, under the patronage of an international jury. Counting 25 years Hyères festival has showcased, more than 300 first-time collections by new fashion designers and exhibited the works of over 80 young and innovative photographers. To cite only a prominent few the competition have since become essential names in the world of fashion such as Viktor & Rolf, Gaspard Yurkievich, Anke Loh, Alexandre Matthieu, Xuly Bët, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Thierry Rondenet & Hervé Yvrenogeau (Own), Xavier Delcour, Cyd Jouny, Marc Le Bihan, Karine Arabian, Sébastien Meunier, Crstof Beaufays, Christian Wijnants, Rivière de Sade, Sandrina Fasoli, Laurent Edmond, Ute Ploier, Hamid Ed-Dakhissi, Henrik Vibskov, Richard René… and has thus spotlighted the works of photographers such as Camille Vivier, Olivier Amsellem, Anushka Blommers and Niels Schumm, Solve Sundsbo, Martine Stig, Morgane LeGall, Daniel Stier, Charles Fréger, Joël Tettamanti, Mathieu Bernard-Reymond, Loan Nguyen, Timur Çelikdag, Franco Musso and Luciana Val, Thomas Mailaender…
In an environment where the creative development of new fashion brands is becoming increasing difficult, the Festival aims to offer young talents a genuine professional opportunity by providing them with profitable contacts and intensive media exposure by pushing them forward — artistically, editorially, commercially. Moreover, L’Oréal has been one of the festival’s major sponsors for a number of years and provides additional financial support to the winner through a grant of 15,000 euros and the ten competing fashion designers receive a choice of CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements to use in their future collection. On the other hand, The New York School Of Visual Arts offers to the photographer awarded by the Jury Prize a Photo Global one-year scholarship. Le Book, the international guide-book of creative resources offers exposure in its Paris, London and New York editions, to the selected photographers of the Hyères photography competition.
In every edition, the Festival invites an established designer to be a part of the jury count. John Galliano, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Jean Colonna, Martin Margiela, Martine Sitbon, Ann Demeulemeester, APC, Mario-Chanet, Helmut Lang, Philip Treacy, Hussein Chalayan, Gaspard Yurkievich, Bernhard Willhelm, Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier, Pierre Hardy, Anna Sui, Christian Lacroix, Kris Van Assche and many others have been just some of the members of the jury count in the past years. Whether former members of the photography jury included Régis Durand (Jeu de Paume), Christian Caujolle (Agence Vu), Emmanuel Perrotin (Emmanuel Perrotin gallery), Paul Wombell (The Photographers’ Gallery), Luca Stoppini (Vogue Italia), Marie-Claude Beaud (Mudam, Luxembourg), Alex Wiederin (Another Magazine), Terry Jones (i-D Magazine), Dennis Freedman (W Magazine) and more.
With a history of 25 years, the festival gives artists recognition and respect in the world of the visual and design art and a chance to be discovered by a wider public and all kinds of backgrounds. Perhaps most will visit Hyères Festival for leisure. Perhaps some will be attracted by the exhibitions subject, yet others for the names involved. For whatever reason you might decide to visit Hyères Festival you will find something to be attached to. Hyères Festival is a temple of creativity and an institution with instant visibility, which only helps to enrich our environment with internationally art, fashion and creative people.
