There were no red carnations on the seats, ready to toss in the finale, as been the custom at Christian Lacroix’s haute couture shows since January, 1987, when he launched his first-ever collection in Paris.
But there were tears aplenty as the visibly emotional couturier made a lap of honour with his “bride”, in a gold and white silk and lace wedding gown, in the Salon des Boisiers of the Musée Les Arts Décoratifs, on the rue de Rivoli, in Paris today.
Gathered at the back of the catwalk, his loyal staff and atelier “petites mains” sobbed openly and even the grandmaster of embroidery, Mr. François Lesage, regarded as Lacroix’s “couture godfather” wept, at the conclusion at what could turn out to be Christian Lacroix’s last haute couture show.
That Lacroix, who filed in May for protection from his creditors – and is facing closure unless a financial fairy godmother or father appears – even got a show onto the catwalk is a minor miracle. His advisors were against it. His staff worked for free, as did the embroiderers and beaders. He found bolts of silk, satin and lace in storage. The hair and make-up artists cut their fees and Lacroix dipped into his own pocket to pay them. The location, where he not so long ago starred in a retrospective, was given free of charge. The maison Roger Vivier provided the shoes. Even his local café provided the backstage “buffet” – crudités, fruit and mineral water – for nothing. Lacroix begged €15,000 from the administrators in order to pay the models.
In the end, just 24 creations made it to the catwalk – each an exquisite, if toned down example of the artistry and creativity which has marked Lacroix’s career.
The colour palette was largely black and darkest navy. “Not mourning,” Lacroix insisted backstage before the show, showing remarkable joie de vivre in the face of potential tragedy. “They are beautiful colours to work in.”
A classic, midnight-navy crepe “balloon” dress, with a bare back, draped and caught with a black rose, opened the show, followed by a dramatic, black tweed cape, matador-inspired, embellished with a trio of crystal buttons. Then, a delicious, true Parisienne, drop-waist coatdress in navy crepe, finished with a fur collar and a jewelled cross. The emphasis was constantly on tailoring and silhouette, as in another matador-inspired, black wool cape-coat, lavishly encrusted with a gilt-jewelled bodice.
Quirky, typical Lacroix “gamine’ looks, included a brown tweed, peplum-jacket, with a fur collar, paired with a sequin and pearl-scattered, cream silk faille “tutu” skirt, or the interplay of tailoring and ‘flou”, as seen in scissored jackets and black lace miniskirts or a silver-sequinned blazer worn with black lace shorts.
The evening wear included a sleek, Grecian-look, one-shoulder column gown in navy silk crepe, with a single rose and a “goodbye” embellishment in the form of an orange bow, catching the drapery at the base of the spine. Equally “must have” was a black jersey “polo-neck’ sweater, with a black lace mini-cape, worn with a navy and black, tiered ballerina skirt, sashed with a wide cream satin bow.
“I Did It My Way”, sung in French, was the song on the soundtrack as Lacroix was engulfed by staff and clients.
The hope now is that a way will be found for him to continue doing so.
