Dior Opens with Floral Dresses in a Venue of Pure White Phalaenopsis

This is the Fall/Winter 2014 Paris Haute Couture collection. At the Rodin Museum's courtyard, Dior erected a pure white circular tent. Inside, white phalaenopsis orchids were displayed, layered from floor to ceiling.

The first looks featured dresses that ballooned dramatically from the waist and bustle styles. While the silhouettes were classic, the skirts resembled culottes, and the sleeves were embroidered with patches typically found on astronaut uniforms. "The future is built on the past. The challenge was to bring simplicity and nonchalance to what could be seen as dramatic and exaggerated," said Artistic Director Raf Simons. Simons' vision resonates with Monsieur Dior.



The collection was divided into eight themes, with classicism and modernism unfolding in a chain reaction. Following the dresses came a jumpsuit with zips and embroidery inspired by astronauts. After voluminous fur coats paired with pants, designs reminiscent of the 18th-century court attire, such as shaped coats and gilets, were presented.

This autumn, the trend in ready-to-wear is couture techniques hidden within real-life fashion. In the couture collection, the intersection of classic and real was even bolder. The striking bright red shoes paired with the white dresses resembled the stems of phalaenopsis orchids.