Elie Saab has said à bientôt to Miss Havisham. Where his January Couture show drooped under the weight of heavy embellishments, this collection felt a bit lighter and—it follows—more modern. That s not to say that the designer has changed his look; there were still scads of beads and crystals, as befits the haute couture, and even strips of fur were used as accents. But Saab s diaphanous, fairy princess dresses felt of this Paris moment. He caught the feeling for the long-sleeved, slim gowns that we ve seen elsewhere, opening with one in an icy gray-blue tulle that was draped and gathered at the waist and accented with metallic silver.
Next up was a sleeveless full-length dress followed by a knee-skimming number in the same shade of aquamarine. Saab worked his methodical way through his palette. After a section in pale blue came white, then pink, mauve, and brown. He ended with a navy group and a single bride in platinum white. It seemed there was a backless dress in every color. Saab s old-fashioned, repetitive way of showing detracts from his precious workmanship. He s seen fit to upgrade the clothes themselves; now, perhaps it s time to update his presentations. He could start by kissing the wind machine good-bye.
