Elie Saab’s Couture Escapism Finds a New Edge in Paris

A model wears a creation as part of the Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring- (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
A model wears a creation as part of the Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring- (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
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Elie Saab’s Couture Escapism Finds a New Edge in Paris

A model wears a creation as part of the Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring- (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
A model wears a creation as part of the Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring- (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

The sounds of spring, with babbling brooks and birdsong, set a serene yet surreal tone Wednesday as Elie Saab unveiled his latest couture collection inside the soaring Palais de Tokyo in Paris. It was punctuated only by whoops and clicking camera shutters as Eva Longoria swept in.

While the setting evoked pastoral bliss, the collection was a study in high-drama couture, as Saab’s signature opulence met a new architectural precision.

This season, the Lebanese designer, a red carpet mainstay, tempered his signature cascades of embroidery with an almost armor-like structure. Sweeping architectural flourishes curved around shoulders and hips, recalling the grandeur of Art Deco but with a modern sheen. Geometric bands of sparkles reinforced the sculptural intent, carving out silhouettes that felt more commanding than Saab’s typical fluid romance, The AP reported.

Models emerged on three parallel runways framed by classical white arches, wearing gowns dripping with jewels and embroidered feathers that echoed foliage. The effect was cinematic, an invitation into a world of 1920s glamour — Gatsby decadence reimagined with Saab’s unerring eye for fantasy. But in a world of uncertainty, the excess took on a different weight, a reminder that fashion has long been a glittering escape from reality.

Saab’s touchstone aesthetic — luxurious embellishment, silhouette-flattering cuts and red carpet allure — was intact, but there was an added sense of structure, a couture boldness that gave the collection its edge. The designer has never strayed far from his core of femininity and grandeur, yet here was a whisper of something stronger: a woman draped in fantasy, but armored for the future.



Hong Kong Investigates Louis Vuitton Data Leak that Affected 419,000

People pose for pictures next to "The Louis", a large ship-shaped structure of the Louis Vuitton brand, in Shanghai on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
People pose for pictures next to "The Louis", a large ship-shaped structure of the Louis Vuitton brand, in Shanghai on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
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Hong Kong Investigates Louis Vuitton Data Leak that Affected 419,000

People pose for pictures next to "The Louis", a large ship-shaped structure of the Louis Vuitton brand, in Shanghai on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
People pose for pictures next to "The Louis", a large ship-shaped structure of the Louis Vuitton brand, in Shanghai on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)

Hong Kong's privacy watchdog said on Monday that it was investigating a data leak at Louis Vuitton affecting about 419,000 customers, just after a cyberattack on the luxury brand in South Korea in June.

Leaked data included names, passport details, addresses and email addresses as well as phone numbers, shopping history and product preferences, Hong Kong's Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said in an emailed statement.

Louis Vuitton submitted the data breach incident to the office on July 17. Its French head office found suspicious activities on its computer system on June 13 and then discovered on July 2 that it affected Hong Kong customers, Reuters quoted the statement as saying.

The office said it had launched an investigation into Louis Vuitton Hong Kong, including whether the incident involved delayed notification. No relevant complaints or inquiries have been received so far, it said.

The incident comes after a systems breach at Louis Vuitton in Korea in June led to the leak of some customer data, including contact information, but it did not involve customers' financial information, the company said.

Louis Vuitton did not immediately respond to requests for comment.