MODEL:NURIAROTHSCHILDATCHADWICKMODELS;HAIRBYKOHATVIVIEN’SCREATIVE;MAKEUPBYGILLIANCAMPBELLATTHE ARTIST GROUP. DANIEL GOODE IS REPRESENTED BY THE ARTIST GROUP. PRICES APPROXIMATE. SEE BUYLINES FOR STOCKISTSCorporatewearmightbestiffandswift,the
steady,repetitiveswipeof trouserlegswalking
withpurpose.Orfora smart-casualcatch-up,
thewhisperof cottonT-shirtingandthesoft,
slinkingpadofsneakers.Surelya beachdate
withoutthesmackofa flip-flop?
Forthenewseason,thesoundis a clatterofbeadsflungaround
onthedancefloor,thedomino-likemicroclapsofoversizedgold
sequinsas theyserpentovera bodyinmotionorthedeepswoosh
offringeinfullswing.
“Whetheryouwanttodanceallnightortakeoffyourshoesand
danceonthetable,forpartydressingit’simportanttofeelyoucan
moveandthatyourmovementis free.Youshouldfeellikeyourself
—but thatyouwillberemembered,”designerJuliedeLibran
says,encapsulatingthefestivemoodof thefashionpack.From
swathesof silkpropping upa powershoulderto jewellerythat
movesbeyondstatementintoimperativeanddressesyoucanhear
overchatterandtheclinkoficecubes,’tistheseasontobebold
—andbeheardas muchas seen.
Perhaps in response to the sombre severity of masculine,
tailoring-focusedcollections ofrecentseasons,orjusta desireto
melt intothe fun and frivolity of the end-of-year, it’s a party
everyone is invited to. Fashion’s festive offeringhasnever been so
hat does a dress code sound like?
plentiful.There’stheswishofmoltenmetallicsat
Halpern, the scratchy click of glittery boots at
Amina Muaddi, the clinking jewels on skirts,
bodysuits and dresses at Area or the swing of
heavychains at AlexanderMcQueen. Thereare
flamboyant feathered creations thanks to The
Attico, Tom Ford and Burberry (Jonathan
Anderson of J.W.Anderson employs a specially
engineeredfabricthatmimicsthemovementand
textureoffeatherswithouthavingtousethereal
thing)perfectforsashayingthroughcrowds;power
shouldershavebeenrenderedplayfulandromantic
throughrufflesat LouisVuitton,AlessandraRich
andLoewe, and décoletté-dustingearrings have
madeanappearanceat brandsincludingAlexandre
Vauthier,PacoRabanneandStellaMcCartney.
Amongalltherevellers,deLibranis theperfect
hostto guideonethroughthisfashionmoment,as
whenwespeaksheis preparingforthedebutof her
newlabel,DressbyJuliedeLibran,to belaunched
exclusively through Matchesfashion.com. Her
lengthy,dynamictenuresunder GianniVersace,
MiucciaPrada,MarcJacobsat LouisVuittonand
SoniaRykielsawherperfecttheartofaniconic
red carpet moment, and the impossibly chic
companyshekeeps—directorSofiaCoppola,for
example—oftendoesdoubledutyasmuseand
friend.However,perhapsthemostintriguingpart
ofdeLibran’sDresslineis itscommitmenttozero
waste.Thecollectionsusearchivalanddeadstock
fabrications,soonlya certainquantityofdresses
can be produced, made to order. “It’s very
importantformetobecomemoreresponsibleas a
designer,as a mother,as someonecreatingtoday,”
shesays,“soI havebeenusingfabricsI havefound
inarchivesthatareextremelybeautifulquality,all
100 percentsilkorwovenina waythatis verytightsothecolour
is verydeeporusingembroideredmaterialsthataremadeonvery
smallmachines and in very limited quantities. Each [dress] is
numbered,andI feelthatmakesit morespecialandunique.”
Theideaseemstobecreatingintimacyandcommunitythrough
festivity.Take,forexample,JuliedeLibran’scocktailpartyather
sprawlingSaint-Germain,Paris,apartmentontheeveoftheA/W
2019 hautecoutureseason,a settingsheusedto unveilhercollection.
“Eventhemodelswerepartof thecocktailparty,”deLibranexplains.
“Theycamedownthestairs,didtheirturnaroundtheroom,hada
bitetoeatanda drink,andtheyhadthebesttime,theytoldme!”
In dresses such as hers, it’slittle wonderthe wearers enjoyed
themselves. Whether cropped, glittery and coquettish or floor-
sweepingandsophisticated,thesearecreationsdesignedformoments
of glamourandintrigue,allnamedaftermusesof deLibran’s.“Each
dresshasa name,hasa characterof itsown,”sheoffers.Perhapsyou’d
liketo partywithNancy(namedafterSinatra),flirtatiousviaa most
abbreviatedhem,in anempoweredemeraldhueandconfidentwith
paddedshoulders.OrGaia(afterjewellerydesignerGaiaRepossi),
whosehigh-necked,floor-lengthsequinedlayerssetsparksoflight
flyinginherwake.MaybeSofia(Coppola),whohasthecool-girl,
slip-oneaseofa T-shirtdressbutwhichis,infact,fashioned from
a velvetororganzabaseandscatteredwithsequins.
After all, what’s a party without good friends?80 HARPERSBAZAAR.COM.AU December 2019
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