"Diamonds Are Forever" was the theme song Elie Saab had in mind for his Spring couture show. It wasn t literally on the soundtrack, but the entire collection was based on the sparkle and color variations of the world s most expensive rocks. It certainly looked as if he d invested in a mine of silver sequins and crystal—they were lavished on every number: sprinkled over tissue-fine silk, chiffon, and satin; smothered over bolero cardigans; and clustered in chunks on bustiers. The cumulative impression—all those flouncy skirts and body-line siren dresses, the pastel pinks, blues, yellows, and violets and trimmings of ostrich—called to mind Dancing With the Stars. (Well, let s not forget it s a TV hit all over the world.) If that makes Saab a designer who understands the popular appeal of all-out glamour more than the high-minded conceptualism of traditional haute couture, it certainly hurts his business not one jot. The audience was packed with clients who visibly appreciated every minute.
