The reports this week are that couture is far from a dying tradition. The order books are brimming apparently in the houses of Dior, Chanel, Lanvin, and many more. The names of wealthy Chinese and Russian buyers will be found on their pages in neat alphabetical order all willing to invest heavily in this art form and thus breathe life back into this bespoke, exclusive and quintessentially elitist method of clothing oneself. Couture's influence will trickle down in time anyway into our high street fashion stores and ready to wear brands. It is a true art form that we should cherish and admire even if only a few can indulge in it's wearability and gold dust qualities.
This dress above is my favourite from the John Galliano show for Dior recently staged in Paris. It encapsulates all the innovative and indulgent qualities couture represents, but at the same time one can see the commercial potential of the piece.
Couture gives us glamour, a much needed ingredient in these more straightened times.
