It's not couture, but it's not ready-to-wear either. Demi couture is making waves in the fashion world, and it's coming to Harvey Nichols in Dundrum this month, writes Deirdre McQuillan
It's being called "nouveau niche", or demi couture: fashion that has all the trappings of couture, at ready-to-wear prices, and it's on its way to Dublin. When Harvey Nichols opens its 32,000 sq ft (2,973sq m) shop in Dundrum on September 23rd, it is its boast that this store and its flagship in Knightsbridge will be the first to introduce a special selection of clothes that have the type of cut and detail associated with couture such as fine stitching, embroidery, plisse or working buttonholes, finesse impossible to knock off on a budget.
"These clothes are offering a personalised look," says Averyl Oates, buying director of Harvey Nichols. "The vintage look really started off the trend for demi couture because people are looking for individuality. It is craftsmanship verging on haute couture - Chloe does it well with the sort of detail that goes back to a different era. You are not going to look like an advertorial for Dior."
Anchor label in this group is Lanvin, where Alber Elbaz, the current darling of Paris, is steadily re-establishing the French house as one of the most stellar names in fashion. Irish customers will see for themselves the kind of sweet, feminine and covetable glamour with which his name has become associated.
Around him will be a satellite of other not so well known "couturiers du coin", young designers who have been quietly catering for private clients, but keeping it under wraps, according to Richard Gray, press manager of Harvey Nichols. These include Martin Grant, David Szeto and Giambattista Valli, formerly of Ungaro.
There will also be specially commissioned pieces from Nina Ricci, Matthew Williamson and Versace. "Exclusive to Harvey Nichols" tags will identify these limited ranges.
According to Oates, " the market is saturated and so consumer desire is driving the economy now. Retailers are being forced to create a point of difference. Our Knightsbridge store will be one of three in the world with the new Lanvin concept (of offering couture at ready-to-wear prices), the others being Barneys in New York and his own shop. The full launch will be in January after the demi couture opens in September."
The Knightsbridge store already has, according to Gray, about 500 Irish customers who shop with them regularly. And, according to Oates, they want the new Dundrum boutique to make a big impact here.
The designer Luella Bartley was commissioned to produce a "Dublin" bag following a visit to the city, and came up with a somewhat unexpected bright pink leather affair, decorated with hearts and studs. Other offers in womenswear will include the Donna Karan main line with its signature double-faced cashmeres, "because we want to appeal to CEOs, and the best friend of the working woman is Donna Karan," Richard Gray adds.
In the footwear department, the shoes of Irish designer Eileen Shields will sit alongside those from Marc Jacobs, Gina, Clements Ribeiro, Jimmy Choo and others.
"Demi couture will cater for the social whirl that is established in Dublin," says Gray, and this is a view echoed by Oates, who feels that Dublin is a very directional and event-driven city. "We were talking to the Wolford people recently and they told us that when leggings came in, the first place that could not get enough of them was Dublin," she says by way of explanation. Nouveau niche is part of the big fashion houses' attempt to fight back against what has been called "the chain store massacre".
In the tough game of fashion, only time will tell what the final score will be, but in the meantime, for curiosity-driven and event-driven fashion hounds, many temptations lie ahead.