12.2.13

Bouchra and Couture

I really don't understand why Bouchra Jarrar is still doing couture. It's generally acknowledged her collections were never really true couture to begin with, but more a formidably, rigorously tailored ready-to-wear. However, I appreciated her debut in couture as a clever marketing and brand development move. With the less cluttered couture calendar there was more space for her to get noticed, and it made a clear point about the "seriousness" of her label, her skill level, and the kind of clients she wants to attract.

But to be honest, once she debuted at ready-to-wear, I thought she'd give up the ghost at couture. I thought she'd achieved what she needed from showing there, and could focus on the elegant day-wear that she does so spectacularly well. Well, she hasn't given up, here she is, still at Couture.



Having said that I thought that this collection was good. She's riffed on the asymmetrical trend, but because she's Bouchra Jarrar the coats and jackets are far more impeccably tailored than any other effort. I love me any stripes that you can't describe as nautical or French, and this collection was full of 'em. Not a boat neck or ballet fit in sight. And the restrained palate of brown, navy and black was perfectly balanced. The navy was on the almost-blue end of the spectrum and offset the brown  wonderfully.



One thing I can say in support of Jarrar remaining on the couture calendar, is that it keeps up the important discussion about the definition of couture, and what it needs to be in the 21st Century. The arrival of Raf Simons at Dior is of course helping fuel the discussion too, and each season I become more excited to see in what direction couture is now growing.


all images from vogue.com

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