Haute Couture Report: Christophe Josse Spring 2013

Written by David Pedroza, Editor in Chief

The Tunic with Ceramic flowers, Photos by
Stephanie Kaufman.

In the past couple of seasons, Christophe Josse has created a image and a few signatures, that are entirely Josse! Mr. Josse goes from strength to strength each season, continuing his direction as the season before, moving forward with out trend, and creating clothes a woman can wear 20 years from now.  Taking inspiration from Tokyo's intricate streets, and silhouettes of the early 1970's for Spring 2013, Josse created a light and airy collection. The silhouettes where kept simple, feminine, and playful, and adorned in intricate linear intersections of satin, encrusted in Lyon Lace, or painstakingly woven, making this collection fresh, modern, and contemporary. Christophe Josse certainly makes clothes for an intellectual woman, and definitely for a modern woman who would appeal to his hand-blown, glass accessories and shoes that have been made to look like pearl or metal, making each piece light, artistic, and sensual to the touch. Stand out pieces include a simple organdy white tunic with ceramic white floral embellishment, and a white organdy gown with tiers of pleated ruffles. The fine fabrics such as Swiss cotton organdy, hand made Lyon Lace, and the finest leather-like silk satin were used in the making of each creations. These are the kind of  clothes in which one can live their lives in.

 

Haute Couture Report: Alexis Mabille Spring 2013

Writen by David Pedroza, Editor in Chief



The Alexis Mabille Couture Collection. Photo by Stephanie Kaufman

Now an official member of Fédération Française de la Couture, Alexis Mabille devoted his Spring 2013 haute couture collection to “craftsmanship”. This is one of the most important reasons a woman would buy haute couture, to acquire a piece of clothing that is made to perfection in her own measurements.  Mabille’s collection did speak to its audience; a lot of hand-work, and fine fabrics, with his whimsical and delicate aesthetic. The show started with girlish confections, of contemporary separates such as Lyon Lace embroidered tops, satin cigarette pants, and frilly organza skirts. The rest of the “exists” consisted of evening wear one can easily see on the red carpet. Just recently, Zoe Saldana turned out in look 16 from Mabille’s Spring collection, for the Oscars, a grey couture confection in tiers of organza that created an ombre look. Signature Alexis Mabille bows adorned several pieces, with our over powering the looks. Lace encrusted most designs, while strapless bustier gowns remained sexy, yet girlish. The Mabille smoking was paired with gowns or made into long dresses them selves, a staple in every Alexis Mabille collection.  Alexis Mabille haute couture collection was a perfect selection of sweet confections, like  magasin de patisserie, serving the prettiest creations any woman would love to wear and proving he is a true couturier.

 

Theirry Villenave: Couture Milliner for Men

Out side the Theirry Villenave shop. Photo by Wilson McCord, 2012.

 

Written by David Pedroza, Editor in Chief

Forward, Art Direction, and Photographs by Wilson McCord

 

Forward:On numerous occasions during my stay in Paris, in the fall of 2012, I walked home late at night passing the shops, now dark on the rue du roi Sicile. But one small shop in the Marais, whose lights still burned bright, caught my interest.I looked in the window at the beautiful fabrics that gave off an iridescent glow. Their contrasting rich colors made me feel like a child looking in the window of a candy store.Fantastic! At the very back of the store a young designer was busy sewing late into the night. And, the idea that there were still young artisans in the world whose passion for creating beautiful clothes was still alive made me smile every time I passed.Late one evening in November, David Pedroza, Baptiste de Bermingham, director of fabrics at the famed Embroidery House Hurel, and I passed the shop. I told the two creative sleuths we had to stop and visit.It was the first time I would enter world of Theirry Villenave but it will not be my last.

Geometric cap in blue cotton twill. Photo by Wilson McCord, 2012.

 

Beautiful lining, pieced like a puzzle. Photo by Wilson McCord, 2012

 

During my trip in Paris, Wilson McCord introduced me to Thierry Villenave. Thierry is a men’s accessories and shirt designer, with a great boutique in Paris’s 3rd arrondissement, the Marais.The shop is simple with a modern-rustic appearance, and a private ambiance. Thierry Villenave, opened his boutique in 1995, to develop a more creative aesthetic in men’s fashion and to expand his technical know-how in constructing minimal, yet complicated designs.The shop is small and intimate with a very impressive selection of hats, scarves, and dress shirts, all developed and made by Thierry, himself. The Thierry Villenave hat collection is a strong expression of classic silhouettes, in geometric form using nontraditional fabrics.A mixture of men’s wear fabrics, such as wool herringbone, tropical wool suiting fabrics, cotton piques, wool plaids, and linens, were all mixed in with elegant florals, saturated colors, and delicate cotton liberty prints.Knitted caps in faire isle patterns are saturated in bright colors, and created out of soft cotton or merino wool yarns.Thierry explained to us his passion for textiles, and using masculine fabrics, with subtle feminine details, without losing its appeal for men. He works with textile mills in Paris, to create new, exclusive fabric (made in a scarf) of a glen plaid, which has been engineered to alternate and break, to give it an appearance of patchwork, but without the seam work.Thierry Villenave is a true craftsman, with the technical skills and knows how to construct all his work by hand. No detail is ever too small or insignificant, including the linings of his hats, which are pieces in soft, feather weight, cotton voile or twill, in bold colors, or graphic prints. The shirts are another example of great hand work and modern design, which have been made in cotton and satin blends, with linear contrasting lines or piping. Thierry tailors strong wing collars, sometimes with contrasting under collars, and traditional French cuffs with contracting knot closures. Thierry Villenave may not be a house hold name, but he is a true gem in Paris. When it comes to complementing a man’s wardrobe, the excellent craftsmanship and unique vision makes Thierry Villenave the go to man for men’s shirts and accessories.

Selection of hats in color saturated prints. Photo by Wilson McCord, 2012.

Caps in men's suiting fabrics. Photo by Wilson McCord, 2012.

 Theirry Villenave hats are available by order, or at his boutique on 28, rue du roi Sicile, Paris, France. Visit the Theirry Villenave Website.