PHOTOGRAPHS: ALAMY; CLAIRE ROTHSTEIN; BILLAL TARIGHTlove the idea of so many people
coming together to make the
world a little more wonderful. At
the time, Schiaparelli had just lost
its designer, so there was no one
there but the team and the head of
embroidery, Juraj Straka, with
whom I designed the whole thing.
I have so many couture moments
stored away. There was the candy-
pink outfit I created with Emilia
Wickstead for Princess Eugenie’s
wedding. We pulled references
from the Forties and Fifties, so it
was quite old-school, with its bow
hat, but with a modern edge in the
freshness of the colour.
Sometimes I’ll live out a fantasy
with a theme for my own parties- like an Auntie Mame-themed
Halloween dinner, for which I
wore a Sixties purple Pierre Cardin
haute couture gown from William
Vintage. Or the party we threw on
the family boat, Talitha, for my
30th birthday – the theme was The
Party, the classic Sixties comedy
tatler.com September 2019starring Peter Sellers, and I wore a
vintage pink dress by Azzaro which
I bought in Paris.
There are times when I want
to dress like a James Bond villain
from the Sixties or Seventies. Either
that, or I’d rather just be in my
sweatpants at home. I have never
done it halfway. Sometimes, the
whole excitement of the evening
is in the sheer thrill of wearing anincredible piece of couture – which
can be vintage or new, as long as
the clothes tell a story.
But for me, two couturiers
loom larger than most: Yves Saint
Laurent and Thierry Mugler,
because they each dress a strong
woman. Saint Laurent made
women look elegant and beauti-
ful and sexy, while the Mugler
woman has humour and attitude.
I like to play both.
I recently bought a lot of Yves
Saint Laurent pieces at auction,
including haute couture suits from
Catherine Deneuve’s collection,
which are just perfection. I’ve also
worn vintage Thierry Mugler couture
to a couple of events – there was
the structured black dress I wore to
Giovanna Battaglia Engelbert’s wed-
ding, and another futuristic whiteand silver gown for a birthday party.
Every couture creation brings a
different way of behaving with it;
each piece makes you move in a
certain way. I find clothes are very
empowering in that sense. You
have to live up to the magnificence
of the piece you’re wearing. You
cannot be depressed when you’re
wearing an absolutely magical piece
of couture – it’s uplifting.
And that’s why I adore Couture
Week each year in Paris. This year
was the first time I’ve missed it, as I
was pregnant with my second child.
But usually, I’m there. After all, it’s
like theatre to me. It isn’t about the
parties or the socialising; it’s about
those 10 to 15 minutes when I’m
seated and the magic happens –
when, just for a moment, the fantasy
comes to life. (Wearing a satin and lace dress
she designed with a private
couturier for her wedding partyAnd Emilia Wickstead at
Princess Eugenie’s weddingVintage Thierry Mugler
for Giovanna Battaglia
Engelbert’s wedding...... More vintage Mugler
for a birthday partyAbove, wearing Schiaparelli
for her wedding to Joseph
Getty in 2015. Below, Sabine
adores Yves Saint Laurent
muse, Catherine Deneuve‘You have to live up to the magnificence ofwhat you’re wearing. You can’t be depressedin an absolutely magical piece of couture’BYS TA NDE R
FASHION09-19BYST-FashionSabine.indd 63 05/07/2019 09:38
63