(Editor’s Note: With the news that STL has acquired the Christian Lacroix brand, we’re looking back at the designer’s Spring 1996 couture show. Presented in Paris on January 25, 1996, it was considered a continuation of Vogue Runway’s ongoing efforts Document the history of the fashion show.)
Mona Patel breaks the Internet by wearing vintage Christian Lacroix in 2024 British Fashion AwardsThis was the third such or such archival scene in a short time, and it confirmed a kind of Lacroix revival. The designer’s pieces are difficult to find, and this one – which included a bejeweled corset by Lacroix’s regular collaborator Mr. Pearl – was a treasure both in its rarity and because Patel looked as if she had been dipped in a precious liquid metal (a kind of Pink Silver), transformed into a metalworker’s dream girl.
This look was worn on the runway by Honor Fraser, an aristocratic English model (and cousin of Stella Tennant), who looked like Fragonard could have painted her. It featured Lacroix’s signature pouf (the return of which was lauded by critics). In the designer’s hands, these airy fabric soufflés (a dish whose origins appropriately date back to the 18th century) looked like the stuff of dreams.
“Everything was prepared for the enchanting sorceress of a fable,” wrote the new York Times‘ Amy Spindler in her review of the show. Fantasy may be in the air, yet more than half the collection reached knee-length or just below, making these figures perfect for the charity and cocktail circuit. However, the grand entrances were not forgotten. Floating panels of chiffon added drama, as well as brilliantly painted veils that were pulled back to reveal stunning underdresses. Journalists at the time commented on the return of the designer’s signed pouf; It was used on several exits including the Fraser/Patel costume and the caged bride. The latter’s headdress was embroidered by François Lesage, a favorite of Lacroix; The designer called Lesage “the couture grandfather (to whom) I am very grateful”.
