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Is elegance making a comeback?

An early morning ritual for me is looking at the Business of Fashion newsletter almost as soon as it lands in my inbox. For the uninitiated, Business of Fashion is the industry's go-to website for the latest on fashion, beauty and retail. Last weekend, reading their lead article 'At Paris, A Return to Elegance' brought a smile to my face.
Grandma sneakers, inside out jeans, loud and clashing prints - looks like fashion lately has been trying to make a statement: 'the uglier the better'. While I realise that couture is the pinnacle of fashion meant only for a privileged few, the recent shows in Paris - as the aforementioned article argued - are a sign that it's time for fashion to take a new direction.
Elegance is definitely making a comeback. The finest example of this was the Givenchy Fall 2018 Haute Couture show held last week. The French fashion house has Clare Waight Keller at its creative helm. Today, she is a household name having been chosen by Meghan Markle to design her royal wedding dress. Meghan has worn the label more than once after her wedding, ensuring there's plenty of talk around Givenchy and Clare Waight Keller. While Meghan may have brought international attention to the label, it's Audrey Hepburn who will remain Givenchy's most famous muse. From off-shoulder tulip to coat dresses, some of the label's outfits showcased at the Paris Couture Week are made for modern-day Audrey Hepburns. It's an obvious homage to the relationship the label has had with the style icon. In fact, the show ended with a Breakfast At Tiffany's-style black sheath dress with Moonriver playing in the background. The use of metal and hoods added a modern feel, and feathers were used for detailing. However, in keeping with the mood of the show, it was done with sophistication.
The show, in many ways, was also a tribute to the man who started the label in 1952 - Hubert de Givenchy. The passing away of the iconic French designer has been seen as the end of an era. Before starting his own label, Givenchy worked with Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli. He considered Cristobal Balenciaga to be a friend and a mentor. Along with Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Balmain, he ensured that Paris became the epicentre of high fashion after World War II. For these designers, fashion was all about refined dressmaking.
Audrey Hepburn, who sought the French couturier to design her clothes for her film Sabrina (1954), became his accidental muse. This happened prior to the release of her film Roman Holiday (1953) when she called to meet him. Givenchy thought it was Katharine Hepburn who was calling him, but when Audrey arrived, he almost turned her away. One dinner with her and he changed his mind. He worked closely with the actress on her outfits for almost all her films as well as her personal wardrobe. "His clothes are the only ones in which I feel myself," Audrey said about Hubert de Givenchy. And who can forget that black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) when Holly Golightly walks down New York's Fifth Avenue in oversized glasses, a simple column black dress and strands of pearls? That dress later sold at a Christie's charity auction for $923,187.
The fashion that Givenchy made was timeless - pieces that you would want to pass down to the next generation. When I look at those chunky sneakers that are now considered 'must-haves', I wonder if this is a trend that can last a year, or even a season. At a time when everyone is talking about sustainability and conscious consumption, perhaps there truly is a need to return to elegance. to make pieces that are less about gimmick and more about style!
sujata@khaleejtimes.com
 

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