Couture chronicles: Style maven Sheetal Mafatlal revisits Paris Couture Week...
Make way for India’s iconic fashionista, influencer, luxury guru and style aficionado Sheetal Mafatlal. This style savant always manages to look uh-mazing, no matter what; whether she’s sitting front row at Fashion Week, with the crème de la crème of the industry, or just strutting down the streets casually ( donning high-fashion, of course!). Now, don’t even get us started on her breathtaking outfits! The woman who puts the F back in ‘Fashion’ has been on a sartorial roll, all through Paris Couture Week. Let’s hear it for this fashion pro who’s giving us a lowdown on all the juicy details directly from Paris Haute Couture Week, and supplying us with endless styl-spiration, with every on-point appearance that she makes.
P.S: If you’re not watching the madness on this International runway, it’s probably because you’ve got your eyes glued on this fashion-forward glamazon.
Haute Couture Week is the best time to soak in street style in the French capital. Paris transforms into a creative canvas - where one sees some of the epic haute couture pieces, elegant embroideries and quirky accessories. Editors, couture clients and buyers - all impeccably dressed and immaculately coiffed descend on the citadel of chic to relish the incomparable craftsmanship, exquisite designs and handcrafted finery which is timeless yet of the moment.
This season was all about the statement-making fringes, romantic feathers and tactile tassels which will be the key trends for next season. Be it the talented Zuhair Murad's homage to the Native Americana or Elie Saab's subtle nod to the Gatsby era - the couture week saw designers recontextualizing the past and making it relevant for the present and the future.
Zuhair Murad
The couturier shifted his gimlet-eyed focus on the Native American motifs extrapolating feathers to fantastical effects. The opening model sported feather-inspired eye make-up along with feathers accenting the hair. The white finged and beaded playsuit was offset by a pair of matching white booties with jewel-toned buckles. This was followed by a feathery fury of feathered kaftans, gowns slashed at the thigh and ultra-sexy bodysuits - each one narrating a story of its own.
The designer primarily used a classic colour palette of virginal whites, gothic blacks, neutral beige, shimmery champagne and ruby reds. The closing bridal look was definitely the highpoint of the show with a veil which had a long statement-making, Mississippi-long train.
Bravo to my dear friend Zuhair for pushing the envelope and making creations which inspire instant likeability.
Elie Saab
Every Elie Saab show is a visual treat and he never fails to amaze with his romantic and exuberant take on style season after season. This time the couturier was inspired by the Gatsby glamour and the show was peppered with twinkling crystals, fluttering feathers and statement satin bows. A slew of dreamy dresses were slashed at the thigh to create an ethereal effect. His cinematic creations were accessorised with spindle-heeled satin footwear. The Art Deco motifs on champagne-toned creations brought to mind the era of unapologetic excess and unmitigated decadence when people actually dressed and went all out. With awards season around the corner, these romantic gowns are likely to create a sensation on the red carpet. The Elie Saab muse is someone who has a strong sense of identity and she likes to own every room she walks into.
Jean Paul Gaultier
Gaultier always manages to pull off a great haute couture show and this show too had his signature panache and sass. He referenced the swinging '60s and sent out his smoking jackets, trench coats and femme fatale evening dresses - all handcrafted with precision and exactitude. The spindle-heeled satin footwear stood out and so did the fringed double breasted tux. However, the real highpoint was supermodel (and perennial Gaultier muse) Coco Rocha closing the show with her mini me. The hot mama and her adorable daughter did a little jig much to the delight of the couture junkies present at the show.
Alexandre Vauthier is the metaphor for Parisian chic and the dashing designer never lets his couture devotees down. This season his neon-lit runway saw caging evoking a nightclub in London. Aristocratic femininity stunningly clashed with edgy punk as his models sashayed down the runway sporting gold tartan, zebra embroideries, costume jewellery brooches and alligator breeches. No one interprets and extrapolates leather better than Vauthier and this show proved his gravity-defying couture prowess. However, the ultimate highlight were the incredible statement holographic gold boots wrapped in plumetis. Seductress Supreme Bella Hadid closed the show and the designer took a bow running down the runway as the crowd greeted him with a thunderous applause.
Atelier Versace
Donatella Versace has been the talking point in global haute couture circles after she successfully hosted the epochal Gianni Versace tribute show last year which had supers sashaying down the runway in the label's signature chainmail dresses. At couture week, the storied Italian house hosted a presentation for private viewing and it was nothing short of spectacular. With maximalism having a moment right now, she's revived the vintage Versace imagery much to the delight of the label loyalists. At the presentation, she showcased super sexy gowns with velvet and feather accents. A lilac number with shimmery Art Deco lattice work and billowing sleeves caught my eye besides figure-flattering gowns in jewel toned maroon, emerald green, black and midnight blue. With the likes of millennial it girls like Kaia Gerber showing their new found allegiance to the label on their Insta handles, the label is definitely going places.
Ralph & Russo
Couturiers of the moment Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo have refined and redefined codes of haute couture over the years. The dynamic duo have put their aesthetic on the global fashion map by creating Meghan Markle's magnificent engagement outfit.
Their latest offering gleaming with hand-painted motifs and ostrich feathers was inspired by their recent trip to Asia. The opening look was a fully beaded floor-length number which exposed the decolletage to dramatic effect. Their partially veiled litany of models set the runway ablaze in luscious feathers, mint green, gold, lilac, neon green, black and scarlet red. This season’s star bride was the Brazilian influencer Camila Coelho who exemplified their ultra-feminine and larger-than-life aesthetic to the T.
Sheetal Mafatlal, the czarina of couture was spotted backstage with ace designers, Ralph & Russo post their amazing Spring Summer Collection show. She then moved on to an exclusive soiree hosted by Caroline Scheufele, Co President and Artistic Director of Chopard where she met the international singing sensation, AKON.
The cocktail and dinner party was aplty titled as 'Les Creations Classiques de Chopard,' and was hosted at Caroline's house. With Diamonds and Couture as the theme, Sheetal sported an all black outfit with rock stud earrings that perfectly complimented the dress code. Sheetal was also spotted with ace and top designers Zuhair Murad and Elie Saab as she attended their shows at Paris Haute Couture Week. Sheetal's style game has been at its peak as she has worn haute couture garments from Balmain, Gucci, Chanel, St Laurent and more.
On that note, all we'd like to add is nobody’s perfect, but this style maven's jaw-dropping appearances comes pretty close! Yes, if you ever needed help on how to up your fashion game, then it's about time you get styl-spired from Sheetal's Paris Lookbook.
