Back in May the French chanteuse Yseult wore Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri as an interpretation of the famous “New Look “from 1947.
So, to top this look, when Yseult sang at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024, once again she was Diored in top to toe Paris chic black.
From the tiny, shaped kitten heels of her shoes, to the tip tilted semi sheer flying saucer like chapeau created by master milliner Stephen Jones, the look was perfect.
Top to toe in black silk faille, Yseult had a long slender skirt uncluttered by a single ripple in the fabric, it was balanced perfectly by stopping fractions of a centimetre above her shoes, but without even showing her ankle. The jacket was cropped with a tight narrow belt, creating a short soft peplum, and a huge swathe of collar cut into sweeping asymmetric folds. This was couture craft at its pinnacle, as it never got twisted or rucked up as Yseult moved and sang, it wasn’t exaggerated in off the shoulder or plunging neck but enfolded the shoulders and bust. With long simple sleeves it worked perfectly with black skintight leather gloves, and the balance of the hat was at times seen balanced by sharp cats’ eyes dark glasses. Yseult wore her hair in a neat heavy fringe and a long cascade of straight hair swaying down the back below her waist.
All this can be seen obviously in pictures but it’s the artistry of Dior, the ateliers and Maria Grazia’s creative vision that for those moments in the spotlight, every judgement must be right on target. Online films and videos bring some of this to life but as she walked slowly and carefully across the vast spaces of the Stade de France to sing “My Way, originally “Comme d’habitude” by Claude François, this clearly bridging Paris to Los Angeles for the next Olympics she looked Parisienne top to toe.
Dior had also dressed many other stars during the games, notably Céline Dion to close the opening ceremony in shimming, exquisite, white on white on silver, pearly beading and fringing at La Tour Eiffel. The tightest of sleeves had been rehearsed in by the singer, the sweeping Watteau back draped perfectly on the floor, the high neck, slender bodice echoing 1950’s Christian Dior movie star glamour, with no flesh exposed.
Dressing clients as diverse as Céline Dion and Yseult is what true haute couture is about, adapting, transforming, and ultimately suiting the wearer. Couture isn’t an ego trip for the designer or a fantasy for the house, it’s a demonstration of the highest level of dressmaking skills, pattern cutting, and understanding how to make the wearer look, and feel their absolute best.
Images of Yseult and Céline Dion will be seen for decades and yet with their acknowledgement of the house of Dior’s heritage, their lack of tricks and their perfection of proportion they will always represent Paris Haute Couture.
Images by Dior
