Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025
In the majestic Palais de Tokyo, Elie Saab transported his audience to a world of ethereal luxury with his latest haute couture collection. Set against the soothing sounds of flowing streams and birdsong, the runway became a dreamlike stage where the designer’s signature opulence took on a new dimension. This season, Saab merged his mastery of embroidery and vision of femininity with a more defined, almost architectural structure. Inspired by the elegance of Art Deco, he played with sculptural volumes at the shoulders and hips, striking a balance between drama and sophistication.
Models walked through a runway framed by classic white arches, wearing dazzling creations adorned with intricate beading and delicate embroidered feathers, evoking the beauty of nature. The collection felt like a journey into the glamour of the 1920s, with cinematic references to Gatsby-era decadence, reinterpreted through Saab’s refined modern lens. His ability to sculpt the silhouette was evident in every look, where flowing fabrics and structured cuts harmonized effortlessly. From romantic organza gowns in soft pastels to unexpected deep blue denim evening dresses with visible yellow topstitching, the designer surprised with a collection that blended sophistication and fantasy.
In contrast, Franck Sorbier took haute couture to a more conceptual and artistic level with his collection Sinfonía Bárbara, a reflection on the duality between war and peace. As is customary in his work, the French designer combined fashion, music, and dance in a presentation where visual storytelling played a central role. The show opened with figures dressed in dark, dramatic attire, accompanied by a striking musical score, before transitioning to a scene where the “warriors of peace” emerged in trapeze-cut dresses adorned with sequins and fringe in subdued tones like navy and gray.
The climax of the collection came with the representation of peace, symbolized by neoclassical-inspired gowns crafted in chiffon and satin, in a palette of soft and ethereal hues. To close the show, soprano Catherine Trottman and a ballerina from the Paris Opera added a poetic and emotional dimension to the presentation. As a final gesture, young girls distributed olive branches to the guests, a powerful symbol of harmony and reconciliation.
While Saab reaffirmed his status as the master of glamour and femininity through his grandiose interpretation of haute couture, Sorbier explored fashion as a medium for artistic and social expression. Two distinct approaches, both equally compelling, proving that haute couture has the power to move, inspire, and tell stories that go far beyond craftsmanship.
