Julien Fournié, Haute Couture, Automne-Hiver 2012-2013, Paris

Welcome to Fhloston Paradise, the air is 28 degrees and the glamour is 100%! Every little boy has comic book dreams, but only one of them grew up to be Julien Fournié, one of the Couture Federation’s newest guests.

Presented last week during the couture schedule, Fournié fall-winter collection is one where inspiration, workmanship and show come together seamlessly to showcase a moment, although this one seems to take place in the future of comic books, full of sounds and colours. It simply kept on coming as exits rolled out one after the other, one visual explosion after the other.

Not only does did he design the wardrobe of the future but he’s also using the tools of the future to create them; in recent weeks, a number of features have touched on Fournié’s creative process, from the 3D design tool he uses, to the library of fabrics to preview their draping, to his use of neoprene and other fleshy translucent concoctions. Just like Iris van Herpen, he represents the Edge, albeit one that translates quite well into beautiful « wearables ».

All this, and we haven’t even talked about the garments themselves. His silhouettes were sexy, but always skirting on the right side of elegance. A long dress fitted along the bodice flows into a billowing skirt, acid highlighter colours are steadied by black; the feminine form is suggested, sometimes shown, never lurid. And practicality has not been forgotten. Strategically placed zippers would enable any world-saving super-heroine could drop her couture in a split second before dashing off on her next mission.

His final exit finishes her run in unexpected silence, before the room breaks loose in thunderous applause usually reserved for rockstars and world-saviors.

If Julien Fournié is the future, I simply cannot wait.

Photo credit: Kay-Paris Fernandes pour Mademoiselle à Paris