Paris haute couture opens on Monday, Pascal Morand highlights its continued importance

Fashion's ultimate expression of creativity, the Paris Haute Couture season, begins Monday morning, and the profession is rarely in better shape. Pascal Morand highlights his continuing importance.

There is increasing competition to win a coveted spot on the official calendar, dominated by some of fashion's most legendary brands such as Chanel, Dior, Armani, Schiaparelli, Fendi and Valentino. It is truly the pinnacle of the multi-hundred billion luxury industry.

In total, there are 30 houses registered on the calendar of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the highest authority in French fashion, which controls the six annual catwalk seasons in Paris: two for haute couture, two for ready-to-wear. female à-porter and two for each of them. menswear. And there are almost the same number of houses that organize off-schedule shows in embassies and mansions. Testimony to the vitality of haute couture: custom-made creations for the world's richest women and the most famous movie stars.

The four-day season will debut on Monday morning with Schiaparelli inside the Petit Palais and end on Thursday evening with Maison Margiela, presenting the spring/summer 2024 collections. And because these shows occur less than eight weeks before Academy Awards on March 11, stylists and stars fly to Paris in search of the best red carpet looks in these collections.

Fashion loves few things more than a debut, and editors will be eager to discover newcomer Peet Dullaert on Thursday. In addition, all eyes will also be on the house of Jean-Paul Gaultier, whose innovative policy is to invite a guest designer to each collection. This season it is the turn of Simone Rocha, the brilliant young Irish designer (and British designer of the year), who will debut in Paris.

See catwalk

So, with so much going on, we caught up with Pascal Morand, CEO of the Federation, to find out his predictions for the upcoming season.

Fashion Network: What are you most excited to see in Parisian haute couture this week?

Pascal Morand: Like every season, I am looking forward to witnessing the incomparable creativity, diversity and savoir-faire on display. The official Haute Couture Week calendar features a unique combination of artistic expression and singularities, as well as stimulating innovations in materials and forms.

FN: What is it about Paris that guarantees this unique creative form?

PM: Haute couture is an exceptional French tradition that began with Charles Frederick Worth and has been embodied by a number of highly creative talents and maisons. The legally protected status of haute couture since 1945 has made France the guardian of creativity, uniqueness, craftsmanship and innovation in the sector. This status involves an entire ecosystem of professions and education, where craft skills and the workshop take center stage. It has benefited from ongoing commitment, in particular, from established, world-renowned houses, as well as smaller ones. And Paris exudes the flavor or refinement that reflects the culture of haute couture and, naturally, has a fundamental international role.

FN: How is it guaranteed that there will be a new generation of couturiers?

PM: Becoming a couturier can be very attractive to talented young designers. The combination of uniqueness, craftsmanship and creativity is more important than ever in the digital age. Haute couture also symbolizes a kind of intimacy and relative tranquility in a society where everything is constantly speeding up. All this generates a strong motivation to be part of the new generation of couturiers, which we actively support. Promoting them requires a global collective effort. The haute couture calendar comprises three statuses: members, corresponding members and guest brands. The latter status provides a platform for younger, less experienced and international newcomers to showcase their work to the entire ecosystem.

FN: He has invited a new couturier, Peet Dullaert. Because the? Being included in the official FHCM is very difficult to achieve. Explain why?

PM: The Haute Couture Selection Committee met, as is customary every season, to review new candidates and reevaluate previously invited brands. The selection criteria, which encompass both design creativity, technical innovation and precision of craftsmanship, are intertwined with the extremely limited number of places available each season. The committee recognized the exceptional quality of Peet Dullaert's work and officially welcomed his brand to the official calendar as a guest.

FN: How important is the haute couture season for the local economy and for France?

PM: The haute couture season plays a fundamental role in the local economy and in particular for crafts and artistic trades. With a highly exclusive clientele, haute couture not only drives economic transactions but also establishes Paris as a global center for creativity. This double impact positions the haute couture season as a crucial driver of economic, artistic and savoir-faire excellence for France, captivating the imagination of the entire world.

FN: Given the current geopolitical pressures, have you taken any special security measures this season?

PM: We work closely with the Préfecture de Police. Each season, we share informative guidelines outlining the legal obligations for organizing shows and presentations, including recommendations from the Préfecture de Police. This ongoing communication emphasizes the importance of addressing safety concerns and, in particular, managing crowds outside performance and performance venues.