In an industry often driven by commercial viability, Paris Couture Week remains a sanctuary for pure, uncompromising creative expression- daring to push the limits of what fashion can be.
An unfiltered celebration of technique, heritage and boundless imagination.
Here, we talk about the design thinking behind the looks that left us spellbound from three master visionaries- Robert Wun, Iris van Herpen and Viktor & Rolf.
Robert Wun
Very few designers wield storytelling like Robert Wun. In ‘Childsplay,‘ Wun unveiled a dreamlike world seen through the unfiltered lens of a child- a timeline of growing up.
He takes elements of childhood nostalgia- toys, ball gowns, paint stains and party balloons- and elevates them through painstaking hand-embellishment and masterful construction.
The Paint Party
The opening look was a stark white ballroom gown (think plain paper) splashed with vibrant, Jackson Pollock-inspired splotches. It evoked the messy joy of a child playing with paint. The look was completed with paint-splattered opera gloves, a conical party hat and a plush toy rabbit.
The main challenge? Mapping true randomness to give that impression of fluid, dripping paint.
It is all meticulously hand-embroidered with crystals and glass beads. By varying the density of the beadwork, it perfectly mimics the three-dimensional texture of an accidental paint splatter.
The Tinkerbell
A tightly structured bodice- hand-embroidered with neon beads- meets a dramatic, voluminous peplum skirt. Enchanting, electric green and vibrant!
The clear glass sphere headpiece is a personal nod to Wun’s childhood dreams of space exploration.
We love the striking tension between fairy-tale fantasy and childhood aspiration.
Little Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad Wolf
Drawing from classic storybook archetypes, Wun reimagined the characters through a dramatic lens (because Robert Wun, of course).
Red Riding Hood features an intricately hand-beaded bodice and voluminous skirt, while its companion piece provides a striking counterweight characterized by structured shoulders and a dramatic mermaid skirt.
It’s a completely fearless imagination of how a child envisions storybook characters.
The Pinstripe Skeleton
A deliberate nod to Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas, it reinterprets a beloved childhood character into a beautiful couture format (We love the halo-like, oversized circular headpiece).
Hand-embroidered with satin-cut beads, the lines map out the anatomical structure of a human skeleton while subtly mimicking a classic pinstripe suit pattern- absolute design genius!
Metamorphosis
The butterfly remains an enduring symbol in Wun’s universe. It represents personal transformation and the passage of time.
This oversized 3D butterfly structure is entirely hand-embroidered with sequins. The larger than life piece blends into a seamless ombré gradient- a true showcase of atelier craftsmanship.
The Starlit Finale
Robert Wun brought the night sky to life with this breath-taking look. Entirely hand-embroidered with thousands of beads and crystals, the gown mimics a child gazing up at a star-filled universe.
We love how it blurs the line between craftsmanship and surrealism.
An homage to wide-eyed dreaming- bringing the entire collection full circle.
Iris van Herpen
Iris van Herpen has always challenged conventional ideas of fashion, merging traditional craftsmanship with disciplines rarely associated with fashion. In ‘The Sonic Starquakes,’ the collection explores the lifecycle of star formation.
With light treated as central to design, the garments seemed to shift and reshape with movement.
The atelier used glass organza, air-chiffon and semi-sheer carbon fiber, finishing each piece with meticulous embroideries.
Surrealism Kimono Dress
Inspired by the soundwave patterns of Alison Watt’s voice paintings, laser-cut velvet panels are hand-stitched to appear as if flowing past the edges of the garment and onto bare skin. It creates an enchanting trompe l’œil effect.
A true masterclass in garment construction- demonstrating a deep, intuitive understanding of fabric behaviour and the human form.
The colour palette traverses the night sky, moving from midnight black and sapphire to deep cobalt.
The Cosmic Dress
The artwork here mimics the organic branching patterns of human neural pathways as well as expanding nebulae- bridging the microscopic cosmos of the mind with the vastness of deep space. Beautiful, no?
To capture this, hand-cut leather pieces are precisely folded, stitched down and arranged in a dégradé scale alongside iridescent round glass crystals. Each element catches light at distinct angles, giving the surface a dynamic, tactile depth.
The fluid drapes and folds amplify every motion on the runway, adding to the striking visual drama of the piece.
Viktor & Rolf
Viktor & Rolf explore a fundamental tension between restraint and decadence. They keep the silhouettes identical, juxtaposing the raw and utilitarian against ornamentation as armour. Using textiles and textures to articulate dualism of the exact same form.
10,000 hand-crafted French knots on rustic linen contrast sharply with all-over gold sequin embroidery and 3D crystal-trimmed bows scaling down in size- a direct side-by-side study in opposites.
Frayed burlap fringes are mirrored by dramatic cascades of long gold bugle beads, each capped with a crystal and glass bead.
Ultimately, fabric-wrapped ‘Restraint’ meets crystal-embellished ‘Decadence’- showcased in the most over-the-top manner. As exaggerated structures that rest heavily on the shoulders, as if literally carrying the weight of it all.
Titled “Gilded Age 2.0,” it’s where opposites meet as one and fashion meets theatre at its absolute finest- we love it!
Ricamour- Reimagining Embroideries
Ricamour is a bespoke embroidery and embellishment studio based in Mumbai, India. We work alongside designers- inspiring, interpreting and bringing their vision to life.
Together, we continue to expand the language of embroidery as design across fashion, costume, art, and interiors. See how we brought the iconic Moulin Rouge costume back to life! Also read about Deconstructing ‘Costume Art’: Met Gala 2026.
To explore your ideas, email us at info@ricamour.com or message us on WhatsApp.
PS: Images used are for reference only. All photos belong to their original creators, photographers and fashion houses.
