December 9, 2016
By Marcellous L. Jones
Image Courtesy of Georges Hobeika
Paris, France – France’s Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture recently announced the addition of several newly invited guest couturiers and designers who have been invited to show on the official calendar during the next edition of the haute couture fashion week in January 2017. This new selection includes 5 new names to the calendar.
Those admitted to the official haute couture calendar for the first time are the Italian couturier Antonio Grimaldi; the Israeli designer Galia Lahav; the Lebanese couture star Georges Hobeika; the South Korean-born, Danish designer Hyun Mi Nielsen; and the Dutch-Vietnamese designer Xuan-Thu Nguyen, founder of the house Xuan. Among the designers and couturiers from last season who have been reappointed as guest members include Aouadi, Francesco Scognamiglio, Guo Pei, Iris Van Herpen, Julien Fournié, Ralph & Russo, Schiaparelli, Ulyana Sergeenko, Vetements, Yuima Nakazato and Zuhair Murad. Though not on the calendar last season, Maison Rabih Kayrouz had previously appeared as guest member and will make its return in January 2017.
These designers will share the official calendar space with the houses that have the official haute couture label. These grand houses are Chanel, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Stéphane Rolland, Alexandre Vauthier, Frank Sorbier, Adeline André, Alexis Mabille and Yiqing Yin, Giambattista Valli Maurzio Galante. The foreign corresponding members who have the right to the haute couture label are Valentino, Atelier Versace by Donatella Versace, Armani Privé by Giorgio Armani, Maison Martin Margiela by John Galliano, Elie Saab, Viktor & Rolf.
Georges Hobeika (CLICK HERE: Georges Hobeika Fall/Winter 2016/17 couture) has proven to be the most patient of couturiers to finally make it to the list. He has been showing his work in Paris for 12 years or more. Many, including this writer, had lost hope of ever seeing this worthy talent admitted to the official calendar. He began showing in Paris during a time when there was much competition among other brilliant Lebanese based couture houses such as Zuhair Murad, Georges Chakra and Elie Saab. Since that time Saab of course has gone on to become a corresponding member of the Chambre Syndicale. However from that group of strong Lebanese talents, it is odd that Georges Chakra (CLICK HERE: Georges Chakra Fall/Winter Couture) continues to be seemingly snubbed.
The haute couture fashion shows will take place in Paris from January 22 – 26, 2017.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL HAUTE COUTURE COLLECTIONS: https://thefashioninsider.com/haute-couture/
