HAUTE COUTURE
Gaurav Gupta, the renowned Indian fashion designer and artist, debuted in Paris earlier this year during Paris Haute Couture Week with a show that was perfectly timed for Indian Republic Day on January 26.
His second couture presentation this July—attended by Cardi B and Fan BingBing seated in the front row—is a well-deserved way to cap Paris' most opulent and renowned fashion week, where only a few carefully chosen names are on the official schedule.
India is prominently featured in his second, again very conceptual, collection, with fluidity and surreal silhouettes that convey story and interpret the original concept of the collection. The surrealist concepts that the designer explores are primarily influenced by Indian history and a rich culture. The degree of thought and research put into each model is stunning.
As the models pass by, the shapes and sparkle from their dresses gives audience goosebumps. Almost no part of the outfit is left unembellished, the atelier workers are clearly busy just as Gupta's mind. Sometimes dresses are adorned with sparkly sequins, sometimes with pearls hanging as drops from the outfit. Every detail and cut tells a story.
In his debut couture show in Paris, he expertly explained the notion of infinity and his passion for the ancient Egyptian civilizations; fusing conventional construction and decorating techniques with his vision of the future. This time again, Gupta returns for inspiration in ancient Hindu texts known as the Vedas, exploring the concept of Hiranyagarbha; Hiranya meaning golden and garbha meaning the womb. It’s from this version of the creation story that comes inspiration for an ultra-futuristic and cosmic collection that is made for lucky stars that can wear it. Let's be honest, not even his black dresses are typical Chanel little black dress, it takes a special woman to wear his creations.
The fall 2023 collection interprets the state of floating through a very narrow color palette of black and white, dusty grey, yellows, olive green, and Malachite green, which was originally a mineral pigment used in ancient Egypt to develop green paint and was popular until the 19th century. Today, this natural form of green pigment has been replaced by its synthetic form, verditer, among other synthetic greens. We would love to see Cardi B or actress BingBing in any of these designs.
See Haute couture from
Dior, Alexis Mabille, Georges Hobeika, Zuhair Murad, Valentino and more
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