“There’s a peculiar audacity to Schiaparelli pieces that makes them so special,” explains Bertrand Guyon. “As design director I’m constantly trying to strike the right balance between respecting the heritage of the House and introducing my own ideas of what Schiaparelli should be today.” An École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne graduate, Guyon cut his teeth at Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Christian Lacroix and Valentino before his appointment at Schiaparelli in 2015. His arrival at the House came at an uncertain and somewhat tumultuous time, Tod’s Group CEO Diego Della Valle had purchased the brand in 2006 and reopened the dormant Haute Couture atelier with a one-off collection by Christian Lacroix in 2013 which never went on sale. Italian designer Marco Zanini then took up the mantle before vacating the role after only two collections, leaving the future of the house in the hands of studio team led by brand ambassador Farida Khelfa. Rumour had it that Della Valle was on the hunt for a female and Italian designer who could identify with and continue Elsa Schiaparelli’s legacy. Composed, soft spoken and highly experienced, Guyon had the Italian connection from his time at Valentino but was relatively unknown outside of the close-knit couture community at the time of his appointment, which came as a surprise to many, none more so than Guyon himself. “I never envisioned I would end up at the helm of a heritage house,” he admits. “I didn’t have the desire to do it before, which wasn’t due to a lack of ambition, but simply because I really loved the houses that I worked for. I had never felt the need to be at the forefront.” Guyon’s quiet leadership, well-honed skillset and obvious passion for his craft has steadied the ship and it seems like three years in, he’s finally hitting full stride. “It’s been an intense challenge and it hasn’t always been easy, but these past three years mean so much to me,” he reflects earnestly. “I am truly so happy to have been given this chance.”
During his tenure so far, Guyon has adopted a softly-softly approach to reawakening couture’s sleeping giant. He started off small by reinventing some of Elsa Schiaparelli’s most iconic style signifiers which include her favourite shade of shocking pink – something he includes each season as a respectful nod to the brand’s namesake, the Dali lobster print made famous by Wallis Simpson and surrealist Cocteau and Picasso motifs before plunging headfirst into a compelling homage to her famed 1938 circus-themed show for autumn/winter16. This highly measured and slightly cautious approach might be a far cry from the extravagant risks taken by Elsa Schiaparelli, but it’s definitely paying off for the Frenchman. Highly visual in his approach to a new collection, Guyon explains he always begins each season by gathering as much imagery and information as possible to feed a theme atmosphere. “I create about five or six mood boards based on this research, that will also be used by my studio and atelier. These mood boards are the guidelines that will serve us as a reference during the entire creative process, in order for us to not lose sight of the story we want to tell.”
This season Guyon’s story came from a less direct line of inspiration and delved deep into Elsa’s inner social circle, drawing inferences from her high society friends Leonora Carrington, Anaïs Nin, Lee Miller and Nancy Cunard. “I had the women who lived between both world wars in mind for this collection. They symbolise the first wave of women’s liberation and they ignited something in me, so the collection was a sort of homage to these artists and their freedom of expression. Strangely enough, I am not sure today’s women enjoy the same freedom,” he muses. “Thinking about some specific countries or regions of the world, it is obvious there are women today who have limited means of expression. This collection was my take on femininity, on the pride of being a woman and on the woman’s body as there is a lot of transparency and sensuality.”
Unlike some of his design contemporaries, Guyon’s approach to feminism was far more subtle and understated. His mood boards, displayed backstage after the show, were filled with pictures of Miller, Carrington and Cunard, interspersed with surrealist hearts, butterflies and padlocks as well as swatches of incredibly lightweight and sheer fabrics. “My intention was to create a lighter silhouette, something comfortable with weightless fabrics. When I started thinking about the new season, I felt like working on transparency. I had this idea of suggesting the body, revealing it without totally showing it, yet still having it very present.” This was translated in different ways, gowns crafted from translucent layers of tulle gave showgoers glimpses of the bodies beneath them, while draped column and trapeze-style dresses generated subtle hints of movement and gowns with sweetheart necklines were cinched alluringly across the waist. It wasn’t all red carpet attire though, Guyon worked with separates too, sending out boxy cropped jackets featuring Picasso-like faces and tailored blazers, worn over tulle and chiffon skirts. Meanwhile, mod-style dresses crafted from metallic mesh juxtaposed high turtlenecks against mini-length hemlines and held round the clock appeal. The opening looks felt decidedly younger than the rest of the collection. A see-through parka jacket adorned with Swarovski crystals, flared cargo trousers and white overalls embroidered with a big red lobster were likely a call out to couture’s next generation of clients, some of whom were sitting front row. Overall, Guyon’s creations were exceptionally light for a winter wardrobe and the bright and upbeat colour palette which consisted of jade green, saffron yellow, crisp white, ice blue and oxblood red was a refreshing change from the season’s typically heavier hues and fabrics. There was a definitive cohesiveness between his spring/summer17 collection and this one which saw some of summer’s most popular and best-selling shapes and motifs revisited. “I wanted to move forward in the same direction,” he enthuses. “To me autumn/winter17 is a continuation of the spring/summer17 collection. It’s the same wardrobe, they could have been presented together.”
As with any heritage house, modernising and moving forward is the only way to ensure survival and success and Guyon is extremely conscious of this. “Elsa was not only about surrealism and whimsical elements, her success was way broader than that. But surrealism was a moment in time, linked to a very specific art movement, therefore, I think it’s important to move away from this so that our clients can see that Schiaparelli relates to a contemporary woman. What I am trying to express with passion is my vision of Schiaparelli today.” Currently, Guyon is treading a fine but steady line between fantasy and practicality by keeping an equilibrium between red carpet and more everyday-style garments. “My aesthetic has some classical elements, but I like to create clothes that are real and comfortable. I want to demonstrate that Haute Couture can cater to a woman who lives an active life. Since my very first collection at Schiaparelli, I have tried to bring more reality into my designs and create an everyday wardrobe for women to go to work, lunch, a reception, cocktail or dinner.” This rings true of his sensibilities which has seen embroidered biker jackets draped nonchalantly over silk chiffon dresses and beaded blazers paired with tuxedo trousers and tailored shorts – these are versatile pieces that can be taken out of context and worn to work or out after dark. “I really love when you find Haute Couture pieces in the everyday wardrobes of women,” he enthuses. Schiaparelli has also enjoyed something of a red carpet resurgence under Guyon, his A-list clientele indicates his ability to appeal to women of all ages with a diverse range of stars including Angelina Jolie, Tilda Swinton, Kristin Scott Thomas, Celine Dion, Claire Danes, Olivia Palermo and Caroline Vreeland all stepping out in his designs.
So where to from here? Guyon intends to continue his steady and sure approach to progression and recognises the necessity of engaging with and enticing the next generation of consumer. “Haute Couture is unfortunately a selective product, simply because it is so expensive. However it is really important to me to make my designs visible, on social media for instance, and to make them accessible to people even though they are not.”Guyon radiates quiet, yet determined ambition, citing time and silence as his biggest luxuries and stresses the importance of time spent at his seaside residence in Catalonia to not only switch off and reset after a show, but to take breaks during the creative process and cycle of a collection. “I’m still discovering things about Elsa, her life and body of work,” he laments. “I’m proud and honoured to be at the helm of her house and I hope that it will continue.”
