Feathery extravaganza wraps up Paris fashion shows

Paris Fashion Week wrapped up on July 10 with a feathery spectacular by young Belgian couturier Serkan Cura, notable for the number of black, mixed race and Asian models on the catwalk. 

Less than a year after models Naomi Campbell and Iman launched a blistering attack on the fashion industry for its lack of diversity, Cura said he took a deliberate decision to use all "different kinds of girls" for his collection.

Of the 17 models in Cura's show, nine were black or mixed race, three were Asian and five were white, including one redhead.

"It was very important to me to have a mix," Cura said backstage after the show.

For autumn/winter 2014-2015, Cura sent out a string of dramatic looks using goose, heron, ostrich and marabou feathers teamed with heavy Egyptian-inspired jewelry.

One outfit alone was loaded with 15 kilograms of feathers.

"With feathers you can do everything when you have the imagination," he added pointing to a slinky, green and blue trouser suit that looked as if it was made from something metallic.

Elsewhere on the same day, Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo took inspiration from Italian interior photographer Massimo Listri.

The Australian duo went for voluminous, floor-sweeping gowns in silk and duchess satin and shorter dresses with a 1950s feel.

Ralph and Russo, who like to stress the wear ability of their haute couture, singled out Listri's "sense of perspective and devotion to detail" as a key influence on the collection.

Striking forays included multi-layered ruffles spiraled around column dresses and skirts that appeared to float.

In another offering, a metallic silver fishtail gown sparkled with fine pearl and crystal embellishments.

Haute couture newcomer Dice Kayek, meanwhile, was modern and poetic in the Turkish-French designer's debut Winter Garden couture collection.

Models were "part woman, part flower" in a collection designed to look like a garden coming alive.

Pleated organza created the illusion of transparency while mirror effects, pearls and sparkling hand-blown glass created the impression of droplets of rain.

Haute couture is worn by an exclusive elite of the world's richest women due to a level of craftsmanship that can see a single garment costing tens of thousands of dollars.

It exists only in Paris where it is a legally protected appellation, subject to strict criteria such as the amount of work carried out by hand, the limited number of pieces and the size of a house's workforce.

Paris fashion now takes a break before returning with nine days of ready-to-wear collections for spring/summer 2015 at the end of September.

AFP