HAUTE AND VIRAL: HOW COUTURE THRIVES IN THE DIGITAL AGE
October 29, 2024
Anand Tansakul
Earlier in June of this year, 27 houses presented their Fall/Winter couture collections in Paris. Among the houses were Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) members: Schiaparelli, Christian Dior and Giambattista Valli, with CHANEL showcasing its first collection following the announcement of creative director Virginie Viard’s departure. Other houses who presented collections included Thom Browne, Elie Saab and Viktor&Rolf. Though the clothes weren’t the only highlights of the three-day affair — a star-studded lineup, including Kylie Jenner, Nicole Kidman, Emma Chamberlain, and JISOO, attended the shows, broadcasting the collections to millions of followers worldwide through social media.
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For this reason, in recent years, we’ve seen viral moments bring couture into the spotlight. Take for instance, Doja Cat’s head-to-toe crystal look at Schiaparelli’s Spring 2023 show and Gwendoline Christie closing Margiela’s Spring 2024 show.
Image Source: ELLE
Haute couture, a once exclusive realm for the elites, now often takes center stage in pop culture, opening the grounds for a wide audience to engage with its grandeur. Couture has since evolved into part of the broader cultural conversation, with its boldest creations becoming instant global sensations–take Alexis Stone’s jaw-dropping transformation into Miranda Priestly at Balenciaga’s couture show this year. But what exactly is behind this increased attention to couture, and why is it resonating so strongly today? To break this question down, we need to examine two major driving forces: the relationship between fashion and celebrity, and the impact of social media.
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Fashion’s, specifically couture's, ties to celebrity culture are nothing new, but the way stars engage with the industry today have shifted. The 90s, a time of technological, social and cultural change, set the stage for when this shift most notably starts. A prime example is Liz Hurley’s iconic Versace safety-pin dress from the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral (it even has its own Wikipedia page!) The dress was everything fashion could be — bold, daring and provocative. And worn at such an event like a movie premiere, where cameras are everywhere documenting every moment on the carpet, it was bound to make headlines. Hurley's appearance in the Versace safety-pin dress wasn't just a fashion statement; it was a cultural phenomenon. It was truly “right person, right time”, in turn securing both Hurley and “THAT” dress a place in the streamline of fashion history.
Image Source: Harper’s Bazaar
Since the 90s, we’ve seen a rise in number of iconic “viral” red carpet moments. From Nicole Kidman’s 1997 Oscars look in Galliano for Dior, to Jennifer Lopez’s green chiffon Versace dress (another win for Versace), Lady Gaga’s meat dress and Blake Lively’s highly anticipated appearances at the MET Gala, these moments have transcended fashion, becoming part of cultural history.
Image Source: W Magazine
Celebrities, in a way, have become “walking billboards” for designers, showcasing creations that reach far beyond the runway and into the hands and explore pages of millions. In effect, there has also been a growing demand for custom or couture pieces on red carpets. Prior to the mid-90s, celebrities would often opt for more “lax” and less “made up” looks -– the concept was simple, you were there for your event. However, the red carpet has since become as much about fashion as it is about the event itself, with couture being a key part of this shift; you rarely ever see a celebrity donning “ready-to-wear”. Couture has, thereby, become a marker of status and spectacle, with celebrities taking on muse-like roles for the designers they wear.
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The rise of social media has only amplified this phenomenon, further fusing the relationship between fashion and celebrity. It is entirely through platforms like Instagram, Twitter/X and TikTok where red carpet moments go viral and are able to reach global audiences on a much larger scale. A single post can quite literally “blow-up”, such as Zendaya’s robot suit at the “Dune: Part Two” premiere in London — an archival piece from the late Thierry Mugler’s Fall 1995 couture collection. Social media has also democratized access to haute couture, transforming it from an elite spectacle viewed by a select few into something now accessible to millions around the world. We’re now often given glimpses into the process of fitting couture looks and exposed to behind-the-scenes at ateliers. Fashion, and specifically, haute couture, now thrives on social media where users can share, comment and create conversations around it. Thus, mass consumers are able to engage with high fashion on a much larger scale than ever before
Image Source: Vogue
As couture becomes more visible and accessible, its status as an art form also becomes more widespread. A piece is more than just clothing; it further serves as a canvas through which designers may express themselves. Couture is rarely profitable for fashion houses, functioning primarily as a means of creative exploration rather than to force commercial success. This dedication to artistry thus allows designers to push boundaries, experiment with materials and challenge conventional aesthetics without the constraints of mass-market appeal. Together with social media, it is no surprise that couture looks are often the most talked about and shared among fashion enthusiasts and the general public alike.
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Evidently, as we look at the increasing interest of haute couture in mainstream pop culture, it’s clear that the combination of celebrity culture and social media have cultivated an environment that allows for the highest form of craftsmanship to thrive in. This surge suggests more than just a revival of opulence; it’s a reflection of our evolving relationship with fashion in the digital age. We are continuously challenged to appreciate these garments as an art form that provokes thought and celebrates the boundless creativity of its creators. And we’re able to do so through celebrities — who, to brands, offer extensive exposure and to the general public, an eye into the exclusive and, often, elusive world of high fashion. Our engagement with haute couture, therefore, transcends into a form of shared experience, where we are invited not merely as spectators but participants in larger conversations about fashion.
Sources
https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/fashion/key-takeaways-from-autumn-2024-couture-week
https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2024-couture/chanel
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/best-dressed-stars-couture-week-fall-2024-paris
https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/alexis-stone-balenciaga-miranda-priestly-devil-wears-prada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Versace_dress_of_Elizabeth_Hurley
https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/nicole-kidman-daring-fashion-red-carpet (Image)
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-the-red-carpet-used-to-be
https://www.vogue.com/article/zendaya-vintage-mugler-gynoid-suit-dune-part-2-premiere (Image)