The haute couture collections kicked off in Paris over the weekend and the star-studded front rows ensured that the world’s most famous fashion houses dominated the headlines.
Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones and Sheryl Crow were, rather surprisingly, joined by Oxford student Chelsea Clinton as guests of Donatella Versace, who showed off her Autumn-Winter 2002 couture collection in the city of light. The Italian designer dug deep into brother Gianni’s archive and gave the spectators an injection of colourful, high-octane glamour – not to mention the return of Big Hair.
Seated next to Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Chelsea was dressed in her trademark black, but her tousled curls were gone and, in their place, a chic, straight, power-bob, of the kind worn by her mother Hillary Rodham Clinton in the US Senate. Gwynie’s best friend Madonna was on her other side, looking every inch the rock chic(k) with a white fringed coat and dark glasses, as the models showed off the high priestess of fashion’s latest designs.
The show was interrupted by the appearance of animal rights defenders, who were protesting the use of fur in fashion. Two female activists brandishing banners reading “Fur Kills”, leapt onto the stage as models including Jacquetta Wheeler, Karolina Kurkova and Fernanda Tavares sashayed past. The two women were eventually wrestled to the ground just feet away from the Queen of Pop’s perfect size fives.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
