
Ayissi fuses African tradition and Parisian craft with bold flower forms at fall couture show
Monday's running motif was the flower, explored in bold, distinct ways.
In one of the most striking looks, the model's entire upper body was transformed into a sculpture of giant vermillion flowers — petals constructed to fly outward and create a vivid silhouette.
Another satin dress placed a flower appliqué playfully at the hip, as if growing from the fabric itself.
Elsewhere, a tailored pink jacket was punctuated by crisp white floral embellishments, merging softness with geometry.
Ayissi played with contrasts throughout: sharply structured jackets alongside softer, draped pieces, and traditional African textiles interpreted with couture techniques. Handwork and tactile details gave the collection both presence and lightness.
If there was sometimes tension between architectural lines and exuberant decoration, Ayissi's best looks felt fresh and intentional — pushing the conversation between heritage and high fashion forward. Once again, he made a compelling case for the place of African craft in the heart of Paris couture.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Toronto Star
3 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Chanel marks 110 years with style — and stars — by supersizing its couture salon in a palace
PARIS (AP) — Only Chanel would call its legendary Rue Cambon salon 'too small' — then rebuild it, supersized, in a palace. On Tuesday, as the house marked 110 years of its haute couture — a century and more of Coco Chanel's revolution in how women dress — it blew up its atelier as a giant set inside the freshly restored Grand Palais, turning intimacy into spectacle for a nature-drenched show at Paris Couture Week.


Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Armani couture channels black as maestro misses Paris bow for 1st time, days from 91st birthday
PARIS (AP) — Armani Privé opened Tuesday under an unmistakable shadow. For the first time in the 20-year history of his couture house, Giorgio Armani was not present in Paris to take his bow. Days from his 91st birthday and following doctors' advice after a recent hospital stay, Armani reportedly oversaw the Paris couture week show remotely from home, a moment of absence that lands heavily for a designer who has shaped every one of his brand's collections since its founding. The show's theme, 'Seductive Black,' played out with literal and symbolic force on the runway: black in myriad forms, from liquid velvet and lacquered silk to pavé crystals and flashes of gold. Even the models' makeup followed suit, rendered in shades of gray. For some in the front row, the relentless palette felt pointed. Guests quietly wondered if the choice of black was a coded message from the maestro himself. Armani missed Milan, too This is not the first major show Armani has missed this season. Just weeks ago, he was forced to sit out Milan Fashion Week for the first time in the label's history, following a brief hospitalization. According to the brand, the absence was a precaution to save energy for his Paris couture appearance. For decades, Armani — often referred to as 'Re Giorgio,' or King George, in Italy — has been both the creative and business force behind one of fashion's last great independent empires. The Tuesday collection balanced tension and control. After an uncertain start, including velvet jodhpurs and stark crystalline seams, Armani's familiar codes quickly emerged: tuxedo jackets transformed into evening gowns with plunging lapels and floating bow ties, tailored blazers worn on bare skin and military-inspired equestrian jackets paired with slim velvet pants. Bursts of embroidery and colored feathers provided a balance from the monochrome. A living fashion ma estro Armani's recent absences have sent ripples through the industry. In a landscape dominated by conglomerates like LVMH and Kering, Armani remains the sole shareholder of his company, personally overseeing every collection for nearly 50 years. In 2024, Armani Group reported revenues of $2.5 billion, while Giorgio Armani's personal fortune is estimated at $11–13 billion — even as the global luxury market faces headwinds. Armani is widely credited with redefining men's and women's tailoring, pioneering gender-fluidity in fashion, and inventing celebrity red-carpet dressing, from Julia Roberts to Cate Blanchett. Yet the designer himself has acknowledged that age is now a reality to deal with and that pulling back could be a necessity. Whether the monochrome collection was a deliberate metaphor or simply a showcase of discipline, 'Seductive Black' felt personal — both a mood and a message, perhaps an understated nod to a master whose presence, even in absence, remains absolute. As the show closed, the final bow belonged to the models alone. But Armani's vision — uncompromising and unmistakably his — filled the room.


Winnipeg Free Press
6 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Hostage,' Eli Sharabi's memoir about life in Hamas captivity, is coming to the US
NEW YORK (AP) — A memoir by an Israeli man held in captivity for more than a year by Hamas is coming out this fall in the U.S. Eli Sharabi's 'Hostage,' written in Hebrew and already a bestseller in Israel, is the first published memoir by anyone kidnapped by Hamas during the deadly surprise attack of Oct. 7, 2023. Harper Influence, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced Tuesday that the English-language edition of his book will come out this Oct. 7, the 2-year anniversary. Sharabi, 53, was released in early February and has said that he had shrunk to under 100 pounds — less than the weight of his youngest daughter, who was killed along with his wife and older daughter. More than 1,000 were killed in the attack and more than 200 taken hostage. 'It was important to me that the story come out as quickly as possible, so that the world will understand what life is like inside captivity,' Sharabi said in a statement. 'Once they do, they will not be able to remain indifferent. But I also want readers to know that even in the darkest of times, you can always seek out the light and choose humanity.' According to Harper Influence, Sharabi writes about his experience with his captors in 'stark, unflinching prose, detailing the relationships the hostages formed with one another, including Alon Ohel, still a hostage in Gaza, with whom Sharabi formed an unbreakable father-son bond.' 'Along the way, Sharabi reveals how his faith gave him the resilience to endure the horrific conditions and overcome mental anguish,' the announcement reads in part.