WHEN GREAT FEMALE ADVENTURERS WEAR HAUTE COUTURE
For centuries, adventures were a man’s world. The Antarctica crossing, Arctic expeditions, the Mount Everest climbing, the deep-sea exploration and archeological discoveries of lost human civilizations were led by brave adventurers who went down in history. Even though there were some female pioneers, women were usually denied the right to discover the world themselves.
A few courageous women broke with conventions, strived to go beyond the societal norms of the time and embarked on an adventure, for instance Katherine Routledge, the pioneer archeologist of Easter Island, Amelia Earhart, an American aviation pioneer, or Jeanne Baret, the first woman who completed a voyage of circumnavigation of the globe.
These great female adventurers who influenced the history of humanity and female emancipation, inspired Julien Fournié to create a magnificent haute couture collection Spring/Summer 2020. In his artist’s fantasy, explorers, ethologists and archaeologists prove themselves capable of roaming jungles and dancing waltzes. Their curiosity about the world, their thirst for independence and the quest for their own truth go hand in hand with the courage of disobeying social codes.
VIDEO: JULIEN FOURNIÉ HAUTE COUTURE SPRING 2020
Take a seat in the first row and enjoy Julien Fournié’s amazing haute couture show which took place at the Oratoire du Louvre in Paris on 21 January 2020. The French couturier elevates his pursuit of handcraft to the sublime.
FIRST CONQUESTS – WHEN GREAT FEMALE ADVENTURERS WEAR HAUTE COUTURE
Whether they are discovering South America’s pre-Columbian civilizations, Africa’s scriptless tribes or the Sahara’s Berber and Tuareg arts, these great female adventurers give up nothing and neither reject the society from which they come, nor contradict the worlds they are exploring. Far from the masculine values that led to predation, via colonizing or evangelizing, their conquests advocate mutual discovery, acceptance of differences, mutual aid, sometimes at the cost of their own life.
In addition to the expedition they have planned, organized and financed, they are constantly seeking the hidden meaning of the world, beyond appearances, genders and borders. Combining phlegm, enthusiasm and compassion, they adapt to everything, collect jewelry, tools, pottery, let nature transform them, and blend into the landscape without losing any panache.
Mastering the cut and the art of haute couture, the Parisian couturier builds statement silhouettes around more casual attire, adorned with talisman-like embroideries or amulets. Shapes are often structured with multiple strap belts, including bags or bandoliers. These modern adventurers mix the elegance from their original lifestyle together with the fantastic treasures they have found on the way, in a personal interpretation.
“Haute Couture and female explorers do share a taste for experience, pragmatism and encounters which established dogmas hardly encourage and often despise,” says Julien Fournié. “I am convinced that the search for freedom is our common point in order to imagine the world off the marketing of fame’s overbeaten track, as a way to save the planet and mankind.”
BRIDAL DRESS JULIEN FOURNIÉ HAUTE COUTURE SPRING 2020
Discover the world of Julien Fournié.
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VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH JULIEN FOURNIÉ
In this video published by French magazine Marie Claire in 2015, Julien Fournié shows part of his atelier in Paris and talks about his love for haute couture, exquisite fabrics and strong women.
