This year Alexis Mabille celebrates the tenth anniversary of his fashion house. Hard to believe, looking at this still very young Parisian with sparks of enthusiasm in his eyes talking in English with a fascinating French accent about his new couture collection.
And Alexis was saying that haute couture in his understanding is not limited to kilometers of chiffon, handcraft techniques and hours spent at work making a single dress. For him it is, above all, the relations setting up between a couturier and a client. Intimate, in terms of individuality, unique to each woman’s story that they tell together, creating an image that reflects her unique inner world.
On the occasion of the anniversary the designer called in 16 women dear to his heart, which he met during those ten years, and created a dress for each one. Then a photographer Matthew Brookes shot the muses in those creations, and the result of this work we had a pleasure to witness at the presentation of the fall-winter 2015/2016 collection, held in the galleries of the Parisian Opera Garnier.
Each of the 16 muses is an icon in her field: Dita Von Teese (by the way, her sheath floor length dress with a deep neckline, made of emerald satin and duchesse jersey is my personal favorite) – the queen of burlesque; 84-year-old Leslie Caron is an actress and a famous Broadway dancer; Bérénice Bejo is an “Oscar” nominee; Marie-Agnès Gillot – a legendary soloist of the Paris Opera (pictured by Brooks in a milky sheath-dress with an embroidered with pearls for the entire length fringe, posing with her baby); French top model Audrey Marnay, etc.
By the way, another strong and stylish designer’s friend paid a visit to the Opera: the recent first lady of France and the author of the acclaimed autobiographical bestseller Valérie Triewelier, immediately causing a stir among photographers bored in the absence of the traditional catwalk. Alas, among the 16 muses there was no place for Valerie, perhaps due to “political reasons”.
Photo credits: Alexis Mabille / Matthew Brooks