UPDATE Highlights of Lacroix's last haute couture show ADD interview

(8 Jul 2009) SHOTLIST
music on catwalks not cleared for use. replace with your own clearable music
AP Entertainment
Paris, France, 7 July 2009
1. Wide of Christian Lacroix, being interviewed
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Christian Lacroix, Designer:
''I can't think it's the end. It's the beginning of something I think because I can't imagine that in Paris a couture house might close. We felt such a support was generous and without support and help nothing would be possible today.''
3. Wide of hairstylist working
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Odile Gilbert, Hair Stylist:
''Well it's a form of respect I should say. I had the opportunity to make, work with him, a lot on this show I had the opportunity to create incredible hair for incredible dresses. I think it's normal to be here today.''
5. Wide of Christian Lacroix being interviewed
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Christian Lacroix, Designer:
''October I think we will miss that because of (inaudible) It's impossible to have something interesting in just a few.. I started I have my sketches, my patterns, my everything, but we have to err, because the factory couldn't work for nothing.''
7. Various Lacroix fashion show
STORYLINE
LACROIX SAYS GOODBYE TO HAUTE COUTURE
The fashion world shed genuine tears of emotion and submitting to the humiliation of group hugs in homage to legendary French designer Christian Lacroix, who delivered Tuesday (07JUL09) what will likely be his last haute couture show.
The designer's accessible collection featured well tailored pieces of chic black and navy skirt suits and coats, which made the models look like trophy wives at a Mafia wake.
A black oversized coat featured a giant gold embroidered centre piece while a black and white chequered coat was a throwback to the 80s.
A black and white patterned short silk dress was highlighted with a giant bow at the back and a large rimmed black hat on top.
The final show stopping piece was an embroidered 'bridal' gown in gold and white silk, with a lace trail and head piece. It was well worthy of its standing ovation as the model made her way down the catwalk.
Colours were mostly black on the catwalk, with lace featuring heavily.
Lacroix, who has been dogged by financial woes for much of his label's 22-year-long existence, has said he will probably be forced to close his doors at the end of the month.
''I can't think it's the end. It's the beginning of something I think because I can't imagine that in Paris a couture house might close. We felt such a support was generous and without support and help nothing would be possible today," he said.
But he also says he hopes to attract new investors with deep pockets and come back, Phoenix-like, after the crisis.
Money was so tight that Lacroix's friends and supporters had to pitch in to make the show happen.
A prestigious embroidery house worked for free, painstakingly applying rhinestones and the tone-on-tone embroidery the label is known for. A high-end shoe brand donated the models' towering heels, and the makeup artists and hairdressers worked pro-bono.
Only the show's 12 models were paid.
''Well it's a form of respect I should say," said Hair Stylist Odile Gilbert. "I had the opportunity to make, work with him, a lot on this show I had the opportunity to create incredible hair for incredible dresses. I think it's normal to be here today.''
In the dog-eat-dog luxury world, such a show of solidarity speaks volumes about Lacroix, whose artistry is such that his name has come to epitomise couture.
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[@godschildyes]

Wow! So amazingly beautiful! 😮

[@bonkerss2073]

those poor girls cant even do a proper turn