Designing the future
Our maxi dress belongs to the “Couture Future” line, a concept invented by Courrèges in 1967 to venture into ready-to-wear. Made in double knit wool and polyamide, with the Courréges style very clear: minimalist lines with an exemplary pattern that, despite being a thick fabric, fits perfectly to the torso. The central cut-out becomes a belt, highlighting this fit and being the visual accent. The characteristic orange colour of this dress is very recurrent in his work, often used in contrast with his favourite, white, and this piece is no exception, although the latter is hidden in the lining.
Courréges and his ‘Couture Future’ were, along with other designers such as Rabanne and Cardin, fundamental to the creation of the ‘futuristic aesthetic’ that would mark the collective ideology in the following decades, and we see this influence in films such as Star Wars, Barbarella and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
André Courrèges is passionate about structures, so he studied civil engineering, but then moved to Paris, where he became interested in the world of fashion. He began working at Balenciaga, where he trained as a couturier. After eleven years and with the undoubted support of his mentor, André decided to launch his own label in 1961.
Courrèges popularised white boots and geometrically cut suits, fusing technology and fashion in a proposal that seemed to come from the future. His spring 1964 collection is especially remembered for his use of materials such as plastic, vinyl and neoprene. He was also one of the first to make a commitment to ready-to-wear fashion, making haute couture more accessible.
