Paris Haute Couture Week SS21: Best Fashion and Beauty
The end of the work week will simultaneously mark the end of Paris Haute Couture Week. Nevertheless, there is still an enormous amount of epic fashion and beauty moments to digest: faces obscured by 60s-inspired, voluminous hair at Giambattista Valli, party-ready glam at Viktor & Rolf, and industry-breaking technology at Yuima Nakazato. All of these moments were born amid a global pandemic, no less—an era that’s undoubtedly stripped many content creators of inspiration. But Haute Couture designers persisted and debuted collections that will impact the future of fashion as we know it.
Keep scrolling for GRAZIA’s roundup of six standout fashion and beauty moments from Paris Haute Couture Week that you need to know about.
Yuima Nakazato’s high-tech couture
Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato took inspiration for his SS21 Haute Couture collection from model Lauren Wasser, who lost both her legs due to toxic shock syndrome. His new line is titled “Atlas,” and it’s a celebration of the label’s innovative digital processing technology. This process creates three-dimensional designs that “embody physical details of their wearer,” producing better results than anything that could be made by hand. The following images showcase Nakazato’s muse, Wasser, wearing an elaborate outfit created using the label’s technology, inspired by a moving conversation with the brand. Learn more by watching the collection’s accompanying film starring the model.
VIKTOR & ROLF’S WHIMSICAL GLAM
Minimalism was out of the question at Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren’s SS21 Haute Couture show, named “Haute Fantaisie.” Makeup artist David Koppelaar conceptualised a makeup look that complemented the line’s sparkly and beautifully chaotic upcycled garments. The vibe of the collection, as the brand describes it, is “haute couture meets underground part.” Koppelaar posted behind-the-scenes photos of the show’s models and gave followers a breakdown of the statement glam: “Bright blushers, pale silver lids combined with metallic blends and lips using @chanel.beauty.” Experience the show in full here.
RONALD VAN DER KEMP’S upcycled masterpieces
Like Viktor & Rolf, the Dutch fashion designer’s sustainable couture collection, called “Ethical Dada,” was created using leftover fabric from previous fashion collections. His SS21 designs took his eco-friendly mission to the next level. The collection includes everything from a denim corset made of “post recycling leftovers” to red-carpet-ready gowns from discarded “fabric remnants.” In an interview with WWD, the designer drove his eco-conscious mission home, revealing, “I haven’t bought anything for more than a year.” View the show here.
Giambattista Valli’s 60s-Inspired updos
Renowned French hairstylist Odile Gilbert was the mastermind behind the hair at the Italian fashion designer’s SS21 show. According to an interview, the looks were inspired by 60s photographs of Benedetta Barzini and Marisa Berenson, known for embracing voluminous styles and mega-high updos. Gilbert put a twist on the models’ hair, creating magnificent sculptures decorated in flower appliques and bows. If you’re hesitant to try the look and obscure your vision, at least consider copying the look by embracing a feminine hair accessory. Click here to watch the Giambattista Valli fashion show.
SCHIAPARELLI’s six pack-INSPIRED COUTURE
Kim Kardashian West’s green Schiaparelli leather bodice is seared into memory. The KKW Beauty founder debuted the number on Christmas Eve, teamed with a green leather skirt from the designer. As part of its SS21 Haute Couture collection, creative director Daniel Roseberry unveiled more iterations of the reality star’s moulded top, along with a matching tote and a long-sleeved minidress. The presentation challenges the idea that women need to conform to wearing tulle gowns that cloak their strength. Click here to view the collection film.
Iris van Herpen’s 3d-printed nail art
Abstract nail artist Eichi Matsunaga created this breathtaking set of nails, inspired by the collection’s unique theme of fungi and the concept of interconnectedness. The transparent design, featuring three-dimensional roots reminiscent of mycelium’s underground network of filaments, is equal parts beautiful and goosebumps-inducingly creepy (in the sense that they look alive). Click here to see how the nails looked on the runway.
