With Covid-19 having disposed of the traditional fashion show format for the foreseeable future, designers have had to find new and innovative ways to replace it.
And as the ongoing digital Paris haute couture autumn / winter 2020 shows have proved, brands are demonstrating just how agile they really are. Here are five of the most inventive moments from the autumn / winter 2020 "shows" so far.
Iris van Herpen’s single dress
Proving that great minds think alike, both Maison Rabih Kayrouz and Iris van Herpen condensed their pandemic collections down to a single dress apiece. While Kayrouz's was designed in Beirut and produced in Paris (meaning that the creator has yet to see the finished piece in the flesh), van Herpen created its solitary dress in Amsterdam, home to the designer and her atelier. The resulting gown is called Transmotion.
Already an outlier when it comes to the standard thinking of what constitutes a dress, Van Herpen’s haute couture offering for autumn / winter 2020 is crafted from gossamer, light-as-air white plisse silk, caught under a hand-cut structure of black "branches".
Inspired by the work of Dutch artist M C Escher, the dress is deliberately symmetrical, meaning it has no up or down, back or front.
To model the piece, Games of Thrones actress Carice van Houten was brought aboard, becoming the latest star from the series to work with the designer, following in the footsteps of Gwendoline Christie. The irony is that van Herpen has never seen the TV show.
Balmain on a boat
Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing threw the rule book out of the window, and presented an assorted collection atop a barge on the River Seine.
As the highest measure of handwork, haute couture is normally hidden from view, making Rousteing's decision to put everything on display for all of Paris to see, a rare act of inclusiveness.
And if the crowds gawping from the bridges were anything to go by, that openness was appreciated. Standing on mirrored plinths, models wore dramatic gowns taken (briefly) out of the archives. From founder Pierre Balmain through to Erik Mortensen (1982-1990) and Oscar de la Renta (1993-2002), this was a trip down memory lane, creating context for the red carpet looks by Rousteing (all ready-to-wear, but in 2020, it seems, anything goes) and his couture offering of slick, precious separates in black and white.
Volume at Giambattista Valli
If other houses were about understated, almost restrained collections, then clearly Valli didn’t get the memo. Instead, it went in the other direction, presenting a collection of 18 astonishingly romantic gowns.
Worn by Joan Smalls, even by Valli standards the dresses were big (and no one does scale like Valli), in great frothy eruptions of tulle. Vast sugary pink layers trailed to the floor, while micro-mini dresses were furnished with enormous ruffles edging shoulders and appearing as capes. As the only house to even acknowledge the face mask, Valli’s were inevitably taken to a couture extreme, as sheer moons of silk framing the face.
As a collection, it is incredibly lovely to behold, and felt like a welcome moment of respite from the difficulties of the past few months. And like the uplifting Dolce & Gabbana show held a few days before, it offered a breath of much-needed fresh air.
Ralph & Russo's avatar
As every brand tackled the thorny issue of how to use models while socially distancing, the Australian/British house of Ralph & Russo sidestepped the issue entirely and instead conjured a virtual avatar for its presentation. The resulting "woman" is called Hauli.
With the digital sphere offering no restrictions on imagination, the house transported Hauli and her enviable wardrobe to the Seven Modern Wonders of the World. We see her at Petra in Jordan wearing a pale blue silk double satin gown, with glass bead and crystal embroidery, while for the Taj Mahal in India she dons a light pink column gown, featuring all-over multi-coloured crystal embellished fringing. Even if travel is restricted for the majority of us, with Ralph & Russo, seemingly no such limitations apply.
Le Mythe Dior
Dior’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri opted for a fairy tale. Shot by Italian filmmaker Matteo Garrone, the brand's short film transports the audience into an enchanted forest, as two bell boys carry a wooden trunk – itself a replica of the house's famous 30 Avenue Montaigne address – filled with beautiful miniature couture gowns.
Mermaids and water nymphs stop their cavorting to reach for the precious pieces, as Daphne momentarily looks away from Apollo to make her choice. Only Narcissus is unmoved, preferring to stay with his own watery reflection.
Since its release, Dior has been criticised for a lack of diversity with its all-white casting, but as the house explained, inspiration came from the 15th-century paintings of Botticelli. While the model casting is a valid complaint, nothing can distract from the shimmering beauty of the actual collection, seen at the end of the film in full-sized glory. Grazia Chiuri is totally absent from the film; the brand's highly skilled seamstresses are put front and centre.
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Read more:
'A woman designing for women': all 30 looks from Chanel's latest haute couture collection
Lebanese designer Rabih Kayrouz presents a single dress for haute couture week
La dolce vita: a look at Dolce & Gabbana's latest couture collection
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
Brief scores:
Day 1
Toss: India, chose to bat
India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)
Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
HOW TO WATCH
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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Yabi%20by%20Souqalmal%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMay%202022%2C%20launched%20June%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAmbareen%20Musa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20u%3C%2Fstrong%3Endisclosed%20but%20soon%20to%20be%20announced%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseed%C2%A0%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EShuaa%20Capital%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL CARD
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections
6.30pm: Gifts Of Gold
7.05pm Final Song
7.40pm Equilateral
8.15pm Dark Of Night
8.50pm Mythical Magic
9.25pm Franz Kafka
Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
One-off T20 International: UAE v Australia
When: Monday, October 22, 2pm start
Where: Abu Dhabi Cricket, Oval 1
Tickets: Admission is free
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)
Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)
Wednesday
Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)
Norwich City v Everton (9pm)
Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)
Thursday
Burnley v Watford (9pm)
Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)
Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)
The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Arrab, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mahaleel, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.
3.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum handicap (TB) Dh200,000 2,000m; Winner: Dolmen, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Amang Alawda, Sandro Paiva, Bakhit Al Ketbi.
4.15pm: The Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m; Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
4.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: Al Jazi, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
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