FALL COUTURE 2021

Fall Couture marked the industry's return to in-person shows and highlighted some of the cracks in the foundations of the old houses. Daniel Rosenberry's Schiapperli continues to build on the sensuous over-the-top art-infused luxury that celebs and couture clients can't get enough of. Chanel, desperate to go back to the in-person format pushed handcraft to marvelous results yet the silhouettes felt a bit lifeless. Regardless of where you stand on Demna Gvasalia's vision for Balenciaga, there's no denying that he's stolen the spotlight from the dusty houses and left them scrambling for relevance in this time where "impact value" comes from authenticity and can't be bought with a big advertising budget. Speaking of budget, Dior's level of polish is museum-worthy but felt out of step at this moment, whereas Valentino's deshabille duchess seems to hit the dopamine receptors and balances the grandeur we think of with Couture and ease that is required of today.