Rani Zakhem Couture SS18 at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week

Tilted 'ODE TO A VOLCANIC WOMAN' Rani Zakhem celebrates life and joy in incandescent metaphors.

Fire is the essential element of the collection, dedicated to a volcanic woman. sometimes extinguished leaving precious streaks of diamonds on silky nights;

sometimes fluid, sizzling cascades of molten metal on a short dress with dripping panel

 and sometimes gently iridescent with warm colors,

As devouring as ethereal, the fire element comes in pyrotechnic explosions of gold, drawn by embroideries of crystals representing lava.

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Fringing cascading over shoulders like a volcano erupting

The image of the volcano is spun to the neck, columned and entirely gilded,

Reminiscent of a party in Vienna where the designer returned bedazzled, Klimt's Kiss, itself cast in gold in a powder dust of stars, infuses into the collection a modernist visual vocabulary, translated into sequins of geometric forms.

 Geometry that also brings us into the disco spirit of the 1970s with many references to Halston, especially in a loose single shouldered fluid dress with a golden Mao collar, in a fanned out degradé rainbow, gold to red through yellow and bright orange.

Gold, subtle and powdery, sculpts feuille d'or chiffon dresses, knotted in a wrap around bustier dropping into a deep backline, a tribute to Mireille Darc famously wearing Guy Laroche's backless dress. .

The theme of fire, is only a pretext chosen by Rani Zakhem to salute the masters who nourished his vocation:
A scarfed collared, split yellow chiffon, plissé soleil dress with mouton sleeves, is a sunny smile addressed to Jean-Louis Scherrer.

A short black silk satin, real Moujik tunic adorned at the bottom with pleated yellow faille embellished with a large bow of the same fabric is a nod to Yves Saint Laurent.

 Densely embroidered golden and silver tops top with long black split skirts are a reverence to Balmain.

Fluid drapes of silk jersey in pale gold and silver grey with a large bow of black silk satin on the shoulder are a tribute to the draper extraordinaire designer Madame Grès  .

Silk satin kaftans, embroidered on the edges with gold sequins and flame patterns at the bottom, recalls Rani Zakhem's native orient and plays the bond between his multiple cultures.

 Shaped in flowing lava and blazing fires, is the wedding dress, long and tight, in delicate whitish lace.