The Guo Pei Spring/Summer 2016 Haute Couture collection was majestic and grand! Read a review, see the gallery and discover our favorite looks.
Review | Collection | Video | Details
After emerging on the international fashion scene, Guo Pei’s work was exhibited at the annual exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in September 2015. The exhibition, which opens every year with the Met Ball, was titled ‘China: Through the Looking Glass’ last year, where Rihanna also wore the famous yellow fur dress. The dress with its long, long train became the subject of many memes, and brought Guo Pei further into the official It-designer scene! That’s why her first fashion show at the Paris Fashion Week was much awaited by everyone, me included. And it did not disappoint!
The collection was very royal, with rich materials and exquisite details. Inspired by Spring flowers for femininity and the phoenix for peace and purity, the collection had traditional Chinese influence, interpreted in a chic, modern way. Every outfit was made for the evenings, structured silhouettes encompassing flared skirts, poofy strapless gowns, knee-length or asymmetric cocktail dresses, and a couple of flared pants, minis and romper thrown in the mix, the final few were wedding gowns. Princess-ey or sometimes even queen-like, one gown even came with a tiara. Fabrics included silk, organza, sheer tulle, and brocade. The color palette was made up of opulent pastels – pale rose, peach, powdery blue and lots of gold and metallic grey.
The royalty and exquisiteness continued in the details. Gowns often came with long trains, always with heavy embroidery and embellishments. Bibs were seen a lot, in the front of dresses, embroidered, and even at the back – always with tassles of silk thread. Dresses came with intricate metallic belts, feathers, or three-dimensional threadwork -phoenix wings that went outside the realms of the shoulder in one dress, and crystal and sequin embroidery over a sheer dress in another.
Shimmer and shine was in abundance in Guo Pei’s couture collection – satin and rhinestones, sequins and diamonds, it was all there. Here is a necklace by Chopard:
It would be hard to pick favorites, but the queen-like gold gown with a collar it is:
The poofy bridal gown and a sheer feather and crystal gown were extravagant, and we’re hoping to see them on the red carpet:
The structured silk outfits, such as this half-sleeved jacket dress and an asymmetric knotted evening dress:
And I have to pick something with tassles, like this short dress with silver tassles in the front and on sleeves:
Guo Pei Spring Summer 2016 Couture Collection: Gallery
Guo Pei Spring Summer 2016 Couture Fashion Show Video
Shilpa Ahuja the editor-in-chief of ShilpaAhuja.com, which she founded with the goal of inspiring confidence in the modern working woman through fashion. Other than defining the direction of the magazine, she also writes about fashion & beauty trend forecasts, industry analysis, and opinions.
Shilpa’s work has been published in the University of Fashion blog and Jet Airways magazine. She is also an artist, illustrator and cartoonist. She is also the creator of Audrey O., a comic series that represents the lifestyle of millennial women. She enjoys creative writing and world travel. Her art has been exhibited at Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Aroma Hotel, Chandigarh and been published in Chandigarh Times.
Originally from Chandigarh, Shilpa also has a degree in architecture and has worked in interior project management. She is also the author of the book “Designing a Chinese Cultural Center in India”. Shilpa has a Masters in Design Studies degree from Harvard University.
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