The Global Designers Redefining Couture: From Seoul to Beirut
For decades, storied French ateliers have dictated the rules of couture, defining craftsmanship and exclusivity. Heritage houses like Chanel, Dior and Givenchy remain synonymous with Parisian savoir-faire, their dressmaking techniques passed down through generations of petite mains in hushed, gilded salons. Today, however, couture is undergoing a seismic shift. Once rigid, it is now evolving, with a new wave of designers from diverse backgrounds redefining haute couture, proving it is no longer bound by geography or a singular aesthetic.
'I often sculpt garments with structure reminiscent of traditional Korean furniture or the curved elegance of hanbok sleeves,' says Sohee Park, founder of couture brand Miss Sohee. Her Korean heritage deeply informs her work, shaping a vision that sees couture as a renaissance fuelled by cultural diversity and fresh perspectives. This evolution is led by designers merging artisanal traditions with innovation. From Rahul Mishra's intricate Indian embroidery to Kevin Germanier's futuristic, upcycled designs, these visionaries are reinventing couture as an ever-changing art form. 'Designers must introduce new ideas and techniques to ensure couture adapts,' says Mishra.
Beyond innovation, these couturiers are also committed to preserving ancient crafts in today's fast-paced fashion world. Park frequently collaborates with artisans specialising in embroidery, textile weaving and embellishment techniques, bringing irreplaceable authenticity to her work. This new era merges tradition with transformation, making couture a vehicle for cultural storytelling and ingenuity. The question is no longer where couture comes from, but where it is headed.
Jad Hobeika
PHOTOGRAPHY, ARTEM KONONENKO. STYLING, SERGI PADIAL
As co-creative director of Maison Georges Hobeika since 2019, Jad Hobeika is swiftly shaping the next chapter of the renowned couture house founded by his father, Georges. While honouring the brand's DNA, the 30-year-old brings a fresh perspective to the Maison, appealing to a new generation of clients. For their latest collection, Hobeika paid tribute to the matriarchal legacy of his late grandmother, who passed away in 2024. Alongside his father, he showcased a series of black looks, highlighted by an oversized coat with dramatic, show-stealing plumes. 'Today's client seeks independent brands that deliver luxury with quality and craftsmanship,' he explains.
Hobeika notes that he is expanding into elevated daywear, having debuted his first ready-to-wear collection in Paris last September. Drawing from the natural world, he crafted a poetic display of floral motifs, embroidered in rich textures and intricate appliqués on featherlight tulle, alongside opulent brocades that evoked an otherworldly, majestic silhouette. Elsewhere, surprising references to wildlife emerged, crocodiles and snakes in particular. These demicouture pieces offered a fresh take on the house's signature embellishments, a clever evolution of traditional ornamentation.
Hobeika's design philosophy is intuitive rather than academic. 'Education for me is being in a box, I prefer to know the basics and then be left alone.' His creative process is driven by imagination, emotion and visual storytelling. 'I see things, imagine them and create them.'
Rahul Mishra
PHOTOGRAPHY, ARTEM KONONENKO. STYLING, SERGI PADIAL
Since his debut at Paris Haute Couture Week in 2020, Indian designer Rahul Mishra has redefined the global perception of couture, bringing India' centuries-old artisanal traditions to the forefront. 'Each design is rooted in time-honoured techniques like zardozi, resham or handwoven textiles,' explains Mishra. His goal is to craft couture that bridges cultures.
His spring/summer 2025 collection continues this dialogue, with his garments a testament to the finery coming out of India: case in point – a gown with its bodice covered in 3D skyscrapers jutting out from the waist, almost enveloping the model, every bead and sequin meticulously forming an urban skyline. 'Couture has always existed in the Indian subcontinent and thrives in its own billion-dollar market. We are currently observing the adoption of South Asian aesthetic sensibilities into the mainstream Western landscape,' says Mishra.
Beyond aesthetics, the designer also prioritises ethics, viewing his master craftsmen as collaborators whose well-being is a responsibility he holds dear. 'Financial stability aside, we invest in skill development, ensuring their techniques evolve while preserving the integrity of their craft. By empowering these artisans, we create a sustainable ecosystem where their contributions are celebrated and their legacies safeguarded.'
Miss Sohee
PHOTOGRAPHY, ARTEM KONONENKO. STYLING, SERGI PADIAL
For Sohee Park, couture is a form of escapism – turning dreams into reality through fabric, structure and embellishment. The South Korean designer launched Miss Sohee, her London-based label, in 2020, swiftly rising to prominence as one of the most talked-about couture houses. With a devoted celebrity following that includes Camila Cabello, Bella Hadid and Lisa of Blackpink, Park's creations have cemented her status as an upcoming force in the industry. Her designs are theatrical with dramatic silhouettes – think a chantilly lace bodysuit with leather corsetry or a column dress with a large shell-shaped panel jutting from the waist. 'My creative process always begins with a vision, often inspired by art, history, culture and nature,' explains Park.
Kevin Germanier
PHOTOGRAPHY, ARTEM KONONENKO. STYLING, SERGI PADIAL
Swiss designer Kevin Germanier is a familiar name in the Paris fashion circuit, known among industry insiders for his bold, sustainability-driven approach. He launched his eponymous label in 2018, quickly proving that upcycling can be as extravagant as it is ethical. Renowned for transforming discarded materials into dazzling, futuristic creations, Germanier has dressed icons such as Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift.
This year, he debuted his first haute couture collection, Les Globuleuses, at the Paris Haute Couture Week, cementing his status as a true industry disruptor. The high-octane collection reimagined upcycling via his avant-garde designs, especially a dress created in an unlikely collaboration with Caran d'Ache, the historic Swiss manufacturer of art materials better known for their coloured pencils. 'I'm always pushing the boundaries of texture. We upcycled many old pencils and pencil cases alongside other materials that Caran d'Ache gave us from past productions. You wouldn't realise the piece was made from pencils – it simply looked like a beautifully embroidered dress,' he says.
Elsewhere, a vintage Givenchy jacket was turned into an explosion of colour, completely transformed with dense beadwork and intricate embroidery. 'It's okay to get tired of your garments, to want newness. I want Germanier to become a creative studio where you can give your clothes to us and we can make it new for you.' His approach revolutionises traditional couture, ensuring that fashion's future is innovative and responsible.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
.JPG&w=3840&q=100)
Vogue Arabia
a day ago
- Vogue Arabia
Serving Looks: The Evolution of Tennis Style at Roland Garros
There are few fashion stages as rich in tradition—and ripe for subtle rebellion—as the red clay of Roland Garros. Each May, as the French Open serves up its spring spectacle of topspin and tension, the question isn't just who will win the title—it's who will serve the best look. Not the aloof, logo-dripped brand of cool seen courtside at a Knicks game, but a distinctly elegant je ne sais quoi —where form meets function in pleated skirts, crisp whites, and increasingly, elevated activewear with the ideal of runway lineage. Yet to understand the present, it's worth looking back. Tenniscore has always been a mirror of the moment—and a few steps ahead. In the early 1900s, women like Suzanne Lenglen glided across the clay in flowing silk dresses and bandeau headbands, breaking free from corsetry with every swing. Fast forward to the '70s and '80s, and style icons like Björn Borg and Chris Evert brought glam to the baseline with short shorts, gold chains, and perfectly feathered hair. The court became a catwalk, and the players—style stars in their own right. By the 2000s, enter Venus and Serena Williams, who redefined not just the game but the look of it. Serena's body-hugging dresses, knee-high boots, and that now-legendary black catsuit in 2018 turned Roland Garros into a battleground for fashion-forward athleticism and athletic-forward fashion. It was about performance, yes—but also about presence. Photo: Daniele Oberrauch /
Vogue Arabia
3 days ago
- Vogue Arabia
Chanel Unveils ‘Reach for the Stars' High Jewellery Collection Honouring Iconic Symbols and Gabrielle Chanel's Legacy
Long before logos became shorthand for luxury, Gabrielle Chanel filled her world with emblems of deep meaning. Faux pearls – once dismissed as improper for elegant women – were worn in bold defiance of convention. The camellia, which she admired for its resilience and simplicity, became an immortal house code, appearing on the lacquered screens in her Rue Cambon apartment. These symbols continue to surface across the Chanel universe, from couture to accessories and beauty. Now, in the house's latest high jewellery offering, Reach for the Stars, it is the lion, comet and, introduced for the first time, wings that are reimagined as contemporary icons of the maison. These motifs are transformed into extraordinary pieces of jewellery that speak to Chanel's heritage and future. The 109-piece collection (90 debuting this year) honours the brand's legacy while marking a final curtain call for its late fine jewellery director, Patrice Leguéreau. 'It is indeed a great tribute to him. Over the years, he constantly pushed the boundaries and elevated Chanel fine jewellery to new heights, playing masterfully with the house's codes and symbols,' says Dorothée Saintville, international product marketing director of watches and fine jewellery at Chanel. First seen in Gabrielle Chanel's revolutionary 1932 Bijoux de Diamants line, the comet stood for freedom – representing women charting their own path. An ideology that feels just as relevant today. Mademoiselle Chanel created pieces without clasps, designed to flow effortlessly, reflecting her belief that jewellery should follow – not restrict – a woman's movement. We see the comet in a new light in Reach for the Stars, where it is conceived as a symbol of Chanel's take on glamour. In the Blazing Star set, it is elongated in fine gold and onyx, while the Dazzling Star choker features tw o diamond pendants that instantly draw the eye to the neckline. 'These symbols, part of Gabrielle Chanel's universe, never cease to evolve through time. They stay the same but are always different. Thanks to new specific attributes, they incarnate the proper spirit of each collection,' adds Saintville.
Vogue Arabia
3 days ago
- Vogue Arabia
Musky Perfumes Are the Most Versatile Tool in My Fragrance Wardrobe – Meet My Favourite Scents
Meanwhile, Emma South, fragrance and lifestyle expert at Jo Malone London, shares that musk was 'originally sourced from animals, it's now entirely replaced by plant extracts or synthetic recreations.' 'Consequently, 'musk' is elusive to pin down, there are many interpretations ranging from airy with hints of powder to deep, animalic and amber-like,' she adds. Emma also shares that 'each musk has its own nuance' and that it has the ability to 'enhance the scent trail.' What kind of notes best complement musk? 'Musk pairs well with a wide range of floral and powdery notes, which blend seamlessly to enhance each other,' shares Thibaud. 'At Maison Crivelli, we often use musks as a drydown, combined with vanilla and leather. They allow us to highlight textures and prolong the trail of the perfume,' he explains. 'You'll find it in the background of some of our best-sellers such as Hibiscus Mahajad, Oud Maracuja and Tubéreuse Astrale, where it brings roundness, elegance, and a tactile sensuality that anchors the composition while amplifying its emotional impact,' Thibaud says. According to Emma, musk pairs effortlessly with 'delicate, dewy florals', such as Jo Malone London's Wild Bluebell cologne. 'Whilst deeper, magnetic musks can give even more gravitas to incense notes or create the perfect foil for the iridescence of citrus,' she adds. How to best layer musky perfumes Emma suggests 'layering a minimal, airy musky scent with a soft citrus such as bergamot.' 'Alternatively, use musk to illuminate rich balmy white florals and let them take flight, this makes a mesmerizing way to wear musk into the evening,' she explains. Thibaud agrees: 'I would pair musks with fresh notes such as citrus or peony, or with soft powdery notes like violet or iris. These combinations create contrast and reveal new dimensions of both the musk and the supporting notes.' What are the challenges of creating a musky scent? 'As with any formula, true artistry lies in the balance of ingredients and musk can make or break a fragrance,' shares Emma. 'I have heard perfumers refer to musks as the triangles of the orchestra (if a bright and shimmering musk) or the garlic in cuisine (if rich and animalic),' she says. 'Musk requires a high level of technical skill to be handled well. One challenge is to avoid a flat or overly linear structure, especially since musks are often very diffusive yet subtle,' explains Thibaud. 'The goal is to blend them elegantly so they feel both complex and soft, with long-lasting qualities that stay close to the skin without losing their character,' he says.
