This season the most iconic and well known fashion houses used their past and most notorious house codes, especially silhouettes and patterns to bring us vintage glamour! If you're unfamiliar with house codes they can be any specific visual elements that are a part of a brands DNA. This can range from monogram patterns to colour palettes and even to trims and fabrics. Let's see how Missoni, Paco Rabanne, D&G, Balmain, Versace and Schiaparelli (debuting their first RTW ever) all paid tribute to the history of their houses!
MISSONI
Most popularly known for their colourful knitwear designs, Missoni was founded in 1953 by Ottavio and Rita Missoni. The couple and later on their daughter Rosita created knitwear and manipulated it in unique ways which served as inspiration for the FW2023 RTW collection designed by Filippo Grazioli. More specifically he pays homage to the rosette motif, their colourful zig zag pattern, chunky textured knits, and draped thin knits.
Left: Missoni RTW 1977 Getty Images, other images are Missoni Spring 1973 RTW Getty Images
Left to right: Missoni Spring 1973 RTW , Missoni Fall 1993 RTW, Missoni Fall 1996 RTW, Missoni Fall 1996 RTW, Missoni Fall 1997 RTW Getty Images
Zig zag pattern and fur reimagined in Missoni FW 2023 Ready to Wear Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
Rosette pattern from Missoni Fall 1988 RTW Getty Images
Rosette pattern reimagined in Missoni FW 2023 Ready to Wear Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
Chunky patterned knits from Missoni Fall 1987 RTW Getty Images
Left: metallic striped pattern recreated Centre and right: Metallic stripes and Chunky knits reimagined in Missoni FW 2023 Ready to Wear Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
Metallic striped knits in Missoni Fall and Spring 1997 RTW Getty Images
Patterns and motifs reimagined in Missoni FW 2023 Ready to Wear Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
Lined pattern from Missoni Spring 1997 RTW Getty Images
Gathered thin knits from Missoni Spring Summer 1984 RTW Getty Images
Gathered thin knits and line motifs reimagined in Missoni FW 2023 Ready to Wear Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
Watch the full Missoni FW23 Ready to Wear Show
PACO RABANNE
A house well-known for manipulating metals into the most amazing garments, a style pioneered by the brands founder in the late 60's. His first designs using metal were dubbed futuristic and space age, an aesthetic that has continued to be a main focus of the brand. Metal manipulation, fur and leather textiles as well as gathered metallics are all explored in the FW23 collection designed by Julien Dossena. Another interesting fact is that Rabanne had stated in his youth that he showed Salvador Dalí some of his drawings and the painter encouraged him to keep going. In this collection Dossena had Dalí paintings printed onto the fabric of maxi-length gowns.
Gowns designed by Julien Dossena for Paco Rabanne FW 2023 RTW with the Dalí paintings The Shades of Night Descending (1931), Sun Table (1936), Meditative Rose (1958), Premature Ossification of a Railroad Station (1930), and Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening (1944). Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
Left photo: an earlier recreation of the round metal disc dress in Paco Rabanne SS 2001 RTW Getty Images. Second photo: Two of Paco Rabanne's original designs from his Spring 1966 Couture show Getty Images. Last two photos are from the most recent Paco Rabanne FW 2023 RTW show Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
Left: Models backstage at the Paco Rabanne 1969 Haute Couture show Getty Images. Right: metallic manipulation reimagined in the Paco Rabanne FW 2023 RTW show Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
Left and centre: draped metallic looks from Paco Rabanne Haute Couture FW86-87 Getty Images. Right: look from Paco Rabanne Haute Couture FW93-94 Getty Images.
Metallic draping and gathers reimagined in the Paco Rabanne FW 2023 RTW show Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
First photo: an original Paco Rabanne design from 1966 Getty Images. Second photo: Paco Rabanne FW88-89 Haute Couture show Getty Images. Third photo: backstage at the Paco Rabanne 1969 Haute Couture show Getty Images. Fourth photo: Paco Rabanne Fall 1998 Haute Couture Getty Images. Fifth photo: Paco Rabanne SS89 Haute Couture Getty Images.
Chain mail and metallic intricacies reimagined in the Paco Rabanne FW 2023 RTW show Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
Left: Paco Rabanne SS96 Haute Couture Getty Images. Centre. Paco Rabanne FW97-98 Haute Couture Getty Images. Right: Paco Rabanne SS89 Haute Couture Getty Images.
Dramatic metallic details reimagined in the Paco Rabanne FW 2023 RTW show Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
First and second photo: Paco Rabanne Fall 2000 RTW Getty Images. Third photo: Paco Rabanne Haute Couture 1970 Getty Images. Fourth photo: Paco Rabanne SS89 Haute Couture Getty Images.
Fur, leather and dark drama reimagined in the Paco Rabanne FW 2023 RTW show Alessandro Lucioni/Gorunway.com
Watch the full Paco Rabanne FW23 Ready to Wear show
DOLCE AND GABBANA
The iconic brand founded in 1985 has created countless brand signatures throughout the years. This season they paid homage to some of their runway looks from the 90's and 2000's. There were nods to iconic runway looks as well as straight recreations of others with a focus on suits, sheer chiffon and lace as well as fur.
Dolce and Gabbana Spring 1995 RTW Getty Images
Dolce and Gabbana FW23 RTW
Dolce and Gabbana Spring 1995 RTW and AW 1995 RTW Getty Images
Dolce and Gabbana FW23 RTW
Dolce and Gabbana Spring 1995 RTW Getty Images
Dolce and Gabbana FW23 RTW
Left: Dolce and Gabbana Spring 1997 RTW Getty Images Right: Dolce and Gabbana FW23 RTW
Left: Dolce and Gabbana Spring 1992 RTW Getty Images. Centre: Right: Dolce and Gabbana FW23 RTW
Watch the full Dolce&Gabbana FW23 RTW show
BALMAIN
Founded by Pierre Balmain in 1945 this house is known for sophistication and elegance. No stranger to house codes, Balmain has seen a transformation of signatures with the change of hand of creative directors. For the FW23 RTW show Olivier Roustieng payed homage to the original elegance and designs of Pierre Balmain. We pulled inspiration images straight from his Instagram stories to compare to the looks in the latest show.
Vintage sketches and designs combined with the most recent FW23 RTW line. Instagram
Watch the full Balmain FW23 Ready to Wear show
VERSACE
It's no surprise that Versace has come through with a collection that looks like it was conceived in the 90's as Donatella shows us once again what's old can always be new. Playing with structured skirt suits and jackets, drapery and crystals Versace's FW23 RTW show oozed 90's glamour with a modern touch.
Atelier Versace SS95 vs. Versace Getty Images FW23 RTW crystal details Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
Atelier Versace SS95 Getty Images vs. Versace FW23 RTW drapery details Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
Atelier Versace SS95 Getty Images
Versace FW23 RTW Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
Atelier Versace SS95 Getty Images
Versace FW23 RTW Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
Watch the full Versace Fall Winter 2023 Ready to Wear show
SCHIAPARELLI
This was the brands first Ready to Wear show since it's revival in 2014 and it was fittingly called "The First Show." Compared to their couture collections this line came across very subdued and practical but it payed a perfect homage to not only the house codes Elsa created but also her personal style. Daniel Roseberry managed to incorporate most, if not all of the house codes that Elsa created before shutting down her couture house in 1954. Fastenings, buttons, and jewellery are already a huge part of Schiaparelli's aesthetic and brand ID, all of which Elsa pioneered. Some more surprising codes that Roseberry play with were the Shoe Hat (and other oddly shaped hats), thin knit fabrics, structured coats and elegant draping.
Left: Fur cuffs and fitted suit silhouettes explored in Schiaparelli FW23 Ready to Wear Schiaparelli. Right: a fitted suit with fur cuffs designed by Elsa Schiaparelli, c. 1950 Getty Images
Left: Bold embroidery trim reimagined in Schiaparelli FW23 Ready to Wear Schiaparelli. Centre: Embroidered trim on suit designed by Elsa Schiaparelli, c. 1937 Horst. Right: Bold trimmed blazer by Elsa Schiaparelli, c.1937 Getty Images
Left: Draped knits reimagined in Schiaparelli FW23 Ready to Wear Schiaparelli. Right: Draped knit gown designed by Elsa Schiaparelli c. 1940 Getty Images
Left: Structured voluminous coat reimagined in Schiaparelli FW23 Ready to Wear Schiaparelli. Other images are coats designed by Elsa Schiaparelli between 1950-1952 Getty Images
Left: Fine drapery reimagined in Schiaparelli FW23 Ready to Wear Schiaparelli. Centre: Draped gown designed by Elsa Schiaparelli c. 1934 Getty Images. Right: Satin draped dress by Elsa Schiaparelli c. 1952 Walter Carone
Left: Cinched waist and dramatic hats reimagined in Schiaparelli FW23 Ready to Wear Schiaparelli. Centre: Outfit designed by Elsa Schiaparelli featuring Show Hat, c. 1937 Getty Images. Right: Model with abstract hat and suit with butterfly closures designed by Elsa Schiaparelli c. 1937 Bettman
Watch the full Schiaparelli FW23 Ready to Wear show
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