Julien Fournie FW23/24 during Paris Couture Week

Julien Fournie Winter 2023/24 Haute Couture collection during Paris Couture Week.

FIRST SHIELD

Julien Fournié launches his counterattack on style and fashion design, a real call to resist fake trends with elegance and creativity. Defender of feminine values (diplomacy rather than conquest, humor rather than aggression, seduction rather than submission), the French couturier asserts more than ever that women are the only real shield to protect mankind from all the outbursts of masculinity that are endangering it with war and violence.

The French couturier achieves this by diverting the medals, trimmings and other ornaments from military pageantry on his outfits in a festive spirit. The officers’ braid silk trimmings and shoulder pads are displaying new colors, tassels are replacing medals, the stars in the generals’ caps are invading the dresses for the the human race’s true defenders.

First playing on extremely feminized men’s outfits (over-embroidered tuxedo, belts with pockets, silk jersey separates, upcycled military pants and shirts, a revisited First World War soldier coat), Julien Fournié plays with army codes to bring out the shimmer of ladies. Embroideries literally attack, gain ground, and invade precious fabrics.

A battle of glitter takes place between the elaborate weaving of silk and lurex devoured by embroidery. Elsewhere, “cannetille”, a metal thread, adorns the collar of “oversize” jackets in silk dupioni, velvet or satin.

The bride, an archangel of sweetness, appears in her immaculate white silk coat, and reveals a dress adorned with dazzling silver stars. Sure, with her crystal crown, she is coming from another galaxy to transcend all the conflicts of the universe and remind mankind that we are only made of stardust.

Runway looks