Your Best & Worst Collections of Haute Couture S/S 2023

[vogue28]

Fendi just unofficially rounded out the couture season, so thought we'd waste no time in dissecting the best and worst of what we've just witnessed!

My faves have been Schiaparelli, Chanel, Alexandre Vauthier, Giorgio Armani Privé, Jean Paul Gaultier and I've liked a few looks from Valentino and Fendi. All in all, I think this couture season has been quite strong. My ultimate fave was... Schiaparelli just for the the sake of consistency and how strong a collection it was as a whole. There, genuinely, wasn't one look I disliked and I was in a total state of bliss while watching the live-stream.

I always automatically scold Maria Grazia Chiuri's Christian Dior and while it was far from the worst I've seen, MGC's collection still remained so unbelievably boring, dreary and devoid of energy.

What has been some of your own highs and lows?

 

[perhydrol]

Gaultier and Vauthier are the best shows of this season. The rest was either ok-ish (Dior falls into that category with Schiaparelli, which was definitely too heavy-handed, but still bearable) or absolutely awful (like Fendi or Valentino).

 

[Lola701]

- Best: Gaultier by Haider Ackermann
- Decent: Alexandre Vauthier ( love the first 2 looks, And wanted more after that. We never reach the climax)
- Bad: Chanel (no explanation needed)
- Terrible: Valentino
- Dreadful: Fendi

 

[jeanclaude]

Loved Gaultier (but that Jurgi Persoons rip-off is vile and lazy!!).

 

[lagerfeld]

Gaultier was the best

 

[susseinmcswanny]

I guess I would say Armani was the best and Fendi was the worst. Also thought the Vauthier faux furs were nice. Nothing was super outstanding this season.

 

[gallianostan]

gaultier is easily leading the pack, however, the persoons plagiarism was very disappointing.

 

[penny609]

Just when I thought Chanel and Valentino were bad, I suddenly remembered to check out Fendi's collection (somehow I forgot about it until late this night). How can something as plain, uninspired and poorly done still manage to get coverage?

I'm not going to sound original this time but my favorite was JPG by Ackermann. As I said in the collection's own thread, I fell in love with so many silhouettes there.

Vauthier was rather nice, then Viktor & Rolf and Armani Privé were pleasant to look at besides being far, far away from groundbreaking or innovative.

 

[LadyJunon]

Despite the copied jacket, Gaultier wins this season for me. It was an interesting take on a house's heritage that is only recognised for its loud, edgy, sometimes tacky "Enfant Terrible" side. Vauthier was nice too. The rest can burn.

 

[lock70908]

Chanel was definitely the worst. JPG and Rahul mishra were highlights.

 

[Salvatore]

I have it out for PPP at Valentino after the last couple of haute couture collections. The one from this season was absolutely hideous and I think I am ready for him to go.

With that out of the way, I loved JPG by HA of course and, while it was not perfect (copied jacket and a few other missteps), it had heart and glamour and I felt excitement from watching it. Armani Privé is always acceptable and I liked Vauthier.

Schiaparelli has me conflicted because ever since Roseberry has started back showing on the runway again, I’m left feeling like something is missing, even though it maximalism over there. I cannot think of a look from the recent shows of his that I love like I did when he did the lookbook format.

The rest I kind of feel indifferent about.

 

[Cocteau Stone]

Valentino was just a mess and is my worst. Poorly constructed pieces that looked like they were falling off, weird colours, terrible shoe choices with a lot of stumbles and just out right laziness throughout the whole thing. An annoying air of smugness just gets in the way as well because the vast majority will still lap it up and Pierpaolo plus the suits know that, the smarmy bastards.

Fendi was close, but I already knew it was going to be dog-sh*t bad anyways. At least the cast looked more comfortable, and Sasha P. was there.

Vauthier was great, just less neon. Armani was an old reliable (and fantastic shoulders).

H.A at Gaultier was fantastic. There could have been more work put into it - and one less souring rip off - but for a singular collaboration it was a fabulous feat. Particularly from an emotional level. It felt like couture, which is hard say to most of this couture season.

 

[Drusilla_]

Best - JPG by Ackermann, hands down. It was bold, self-assured and looked perfectly finished despite the one bum note of a seemingly copied jacket. As @Salvatore said, it had heart and glamour and that's always appreciated.
Worst - Mugler. It was hideous, and not even interestingly hideous, in fact not interesting at all - I mean, a boring Mugler? How?!

 

[Norden]

Best Gaultier - first time I felt emotion looking at a collection. The rip-off is sad, but that jacket was lame.
Worst Chanel - it’s really tragic, while technically not the worst show (that would go to fendi) it’s a real crime with those archives of Karl and coco to do such a bad job, with such an experienced team.

 

[Mutterlein]

Best: JPG

Better: Dior

Acceptable: Schiaparelli, Alexandre Vauthier, Maison Rabih Kayrouz, Christophe Josse

Worst: Chanel, Valentino, Fendi, Giambattista Valli