Haute Couture Imagination with Imane Ayissi

PARIS, France — Cameroonian Imane Ayissi is one of the few to consistently show on the Haute Couture calendar, which is officially and exclusively managed by the governing body Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. The rules as to what qualifies as couture are as specific as you might expect, including employing at least 15 full-time staff in an atelier to design made-to-order clothes for private clients.

While the historic stalwarts in French fashion remain (Chanel, Dior, and Jean Paul Gaultier to name a few), newer and younger brands have been steadily making a place for themselves amongst the highest echelons of the industry, including Ayissi, who opened the Spring / Summer 2024 Haute Couture season.

His showing highlighted an array of his growing signature fabrications that have come to define his elegant and timeless approach. In a dash of raspberry, Ayissi reimagined raffia in angular waistlines and handkerchief hems. In another look, he played with fringe at scale via a razed black silk-wool dress with raw panels cascading on the ground.

On styling, the overall collection could have benefitted from a more unusual tack to appeal to a broader audience, but as are with such gems of high quality, Ayissi is perfectly comfortable dressing his private clientele, who also just happen to be legends in their own right (see Angelique Kidjo and Lauryn Hill among others). These are the ones who can actually own a piece of haute couture, made especially for them.

Lead Image courtesy Imane Ayissi / @imane_ayissi