Rêver2074: French luxury dreams of the future

A curiously abstract future has been germinating among French luxury brands and institutions of Comité Colbert through a series of cryptic social media posts. It is “a utopia created by french luxury” called “Dreaming 2074”, culminating in a collection of science-fiction short stories, new vocabulary and music, which can be downloaded at www.dreaming2074.com

To back up a few steps, Comité Colbert, founded in 1954 by Jean-Jacques Guerlain, is an organization made up of 78 luxury houses and 14 cultural institutions in France to promote the concept of French luxury. Brands such as Cartier, Mellerio dits Meller, Veuve Clicquot, Lanvin, Givenchy, Guerlain and the Louvre (just to name a few) were part of this collaboration. The essence of the collective project “Rêver2074” (Dream2074) is designed to share, preserve and celebrate 60 years of French luxury and heritage… and live into and lead an inspiring future.

 

Fall 2014 RTW

The runways of New York, London, Milan and Paris have been walked, leaving us breathless and inspired! We were taken on journeys around the world, through time and into altered realities. These are the collections that we will certainly be ready to wear, come fall…

Marchesa took us on a lavish Scottish adventure with glamorous variants on tartans and argyles in colors that awakened the senses.

Temperley London delivered demure offerings with a “funky”, yet elegant mix of floral prints, Byzantine patterns, quilted fabrics and layered draping.

Salvatore Ferragamo‘s inspired leather pieces, dipped in metallic paint, were beyond sensational, as well as a pair of fitted ribbed-knit dresses that appeared to be gilded in gold leaf.

Alberta Ferretti charmed us with her ethereal “metamorphosis of nature and woman”, presenting feather infused frocks and a fabulous parade of textured fabrics.

Iris Van Herpen seduced us with her vacuum-packed alien fashion titled “Biopiracy” and her emerging signature 3-D confections.

Lanvin was all graceful chic with Alber Elbaz’s “Triple X—Xtravagant, Xtreme, and Xperiment” vision. Hats trimmed or lined with marabou cast shadowy drama that enhanced the shimmering fabrics, furs and feathers of his glorious garments.

The entire collections can be viewed at Style.com

Paris Fashion Week – Curation 1

How wonderful it is to be back in Paris – and what a beautiful welcome it is with the likes of Lanvin and Nina Ricci to fill the fashion soul. It is appropriate to begin with Alber Elbaz, as the Lanvin collection was about “a new start” for him. And that meant going back to the classic beauty of ancient Greece and Rome to present this work of “deconstructed classicism” that had a great purity and glamourous elegance. The asymmetrical garments with the orgami-like belts and bow accents easily make the BeautifulCurious most desired list. Peter Copping is also interested in ties that bind, albeit from a refined dominatrix angle. His offerings are a curious contradiction: do leather bondage harnesses go with demure dresses, cardigans and skirts? Oui, bien sur! Each of the looks have quality and depth that suggests things are nowhere near what they seem. Is she naughty, nice or both? He took a risk with this collection and it is one that is unforgettable.

Update: Lanvin 2012 Lanvin Does Old School Crowdsourcing ?

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Truth be told, this is a follow up post from early August (as seen below), when BeautifulCurious was hopeful there would be a video to accompany the dynamically different Lanvin fall ad campaign. And arrive it has.

Lanvin is launching a curious ad campaign this September starring 9 “real people” from the age of 18 – 82 years, as seen through the lushly colored lense of Steven Meisel. Of course, kudos go to Lanvin creative director Alber Elbaz for his willingness to take luxury in such a “democratic” direction:

“I was interested to bring these clothes back to the street somehow, and seeing how they look on different ages, different sizes… It felt like a crazy family, and I like that.”

The social media potential based on this notion of “Individuals With Individuality. Reality… Not Reality Stars” is nothing short of gigantic. There are endless possibilities with Instagram engagement alone, and one can only hope there is a video incarnation on this concept in the works.

Lanvin Does Old School Crowdsourcing?

Lanvin is launching a curious ad campaign this September starring 9 “real people” from the age of 18 – 82 years, as seen through the lushly colored lense of Steven Meisel. Of course, kudos go to Lanvin creative director Alber Elbaz for his willingness to take luxury in such a “democratic” direction:

“I was interested to bring these clothes back to the street somehow, and seeing how they look on different ages, different sizes… It felt like a crazy family, and I like that.”

The social media potential based on this notion of “Individuals With Individuality. Reality… Not Reality Stars” is nothing short of gigantic. There are endless possibilities with Instagram engagement alone, and one can only hope there is a video incarnation on this concept in the works. Alas, until further notice, we can still embrace the special charms from Lanvin Fall 2011…

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http://www.lanvin.com

InstaGLAM Photo Shoot

When 2 very good things conspire – Instagram and Nick Knight – magical things happen. Sprinkle in a flash of Cartier here, a little Katrantzou there, along with a tender fluffy friend for good measure and Nick Knight’s first ever Instagram photo shoot materializes. The refreshing abandon of careful retouching in exchange for clever web tools results in what is a true “live shoot”: all images were posted directly from camera onto Tumblr accompanied by Tweeted commentary from fashion director Alexander Fury. Hello innovation sensation!

www.showstudio.com/projects/tag/interactive

Water Colors

If the wind knew that water could make dresses flow this way, it would surely be jealous. Well, to be fair, it is Alix Malka who makes it so and the beautiful drama he has achieved through such aquatic alchemy is extraordinary. He has shot a number of projects in the water, but this editorial for Numéro Tokyo titled “Subaquatic Beauty” is not possible to forget. Gowns by Jean-Paul Gaultier, Alexander McQueen, Roberto Cavalli, and Lanvin have never blossomed with such grace.

www.alixmalka.com