Young designer joins couture pantheon

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PARIS — Designer Alessandra Facchinetti on Wednesday dispelled any doubts about her ability to fill legendary designer Valentino's shoes, drawing warm applause for her first-ever haute couture collection for the Italian label.

Models paraded under crystal chandeliers in the gilded salons of Valentino's headquarters on the tony Place Vendome, wrapped in powdery pastel chiffon gowns and blinding white cocoon coats.

A gray chiffon day dress with a pleated bib front and ruffled jabot was dusted with silver sequins, while a duck blue pod-shaped coat was embroidered with organza flowers.

Facchinetti, who had previously designed only ready-to-wear collections, said that working with the seamstresses who produce the made-to-measure couture outfits was an entirely new experience.

"Working with the 'atelier' is much more like working with a family. They really create things with me. I'm not alone and they are not alone doing their job," the slender 35-year-old told reporters after the show.

Though many of those "little hands" had been with Valentino for decades, they appeared to have adapted to their new boss seamlessly.

Haute luxe details remained faithful to Valentino's heritage, but the flawless perfection that characterized the maestro's work had given way to a charmingly light touch.

Earlier, French designer Jean Paul Gaultier conjured neon birds of paradise heading to a high-class rave in his feathered-and-caged collection.

Models paraded in flamboyant fur coats and sumptuous evening gowns topped with crinolines and corset cages in fluorescent yellow, orange and pink.

"Women feel so free nowadays that they are wearing cages again," the irreverent designer said. "It's the ultimate stage in women's liberation."

Gaultier said he was inspired by the "fluo kids" of the electro music scene and by the 1980s film "Tron," about a hacker who is trapped inside a computer game. The Day-Glo colors only served to highlight the luxurious fabrics which are the hallmark of couture.

A cocoon cage lined in silver fox fur split open to reveal a skintight sheath dress with pearl-embroidered flowers — perfect for dancing the night away.

The vibrant displays confirmed that couture is thriving, despite a gloomy economic environment, as discerning customers seek out one-off creations.

Gaultier said he was surprised by the success of his couture division, launched 11 years ago.

"I think it does have a future, because I am living that future, in a way," he said.

"I don't know how long it will last, but in this period where you have a choice between either very cheap clothes or high luxury, couture is clearly undergoing a revival."

Only 11 fashion houses qualify for the haute couture designation, which is delivered by the French Industry Ministry and carries a strict set of requirements.

Many houses have discontinued the loss-making activity in recent years, among them Emanuel Ungaro, Balmain, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Louis Scherrer and Hanae Mori.

But smaller, lesser known designers have been greeted into the couture pantheon, most recently Maurizio Galante and Anne Valerie Hash.

"The cohabitation between famous brands with artistic directors from the new generation, and new brands which have their own repertory, is what makes the strength of couture week," Didier Grumbach, head of French fashion's governing body, told The Associated Press.

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