PARIS: Lebanese designer Elie Saab showcased a “Game of Thrones” (GoT) inspired collection at the Paris Haute Couture Week on Wednesday.
Entitled “A Tale of Fallen Kings,” the collection was bursting with ornate, nostalgic elements that harked back to centuries past — yet it felt very much of the moment.
The idea was to “capture the opulence and wild beauty of medieval times, and translate it into fiercely elegant feminine silhouettes,” the Beirut-born brand said on Instagram.
The Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2017/2018 collection comprised a glowy, golden runway look that was a perfect real-world version of the warrior queen look.
Long lavishing embellished coats paid tribute to the ornamental artistry of the medieval era.
The HBO series inspiration was also reflected in the gilded crowns and tiny braids sported by the models.
It is not often that designers cite current pop culture references as an inspiration for their collections.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday the ever-audacious Karl Lagerfeld proved he is still nimble when it comes to putting on a fashion show. The 83-year-old had a 46-ton Eiffel Tower recreated inside the Grand Palais for the pleasure of his Chanel couture celebrity guests.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo returned the love by presenting him with the city’s highest honor.
Celebrities including Julianne Moore, Katy Perry, Kristen Stewart, Pharrell Williams and Tilda Swinton were shown to metal seats in real sand and gravel.
“It’s extraordinary to come into the Grand Palais, which is awesome at the best of any time, but to stand under the tour Eiffel is extraordinary. Only Chanel,” Swinton said.
The dawn of the 20th century — the period following the Eiffel Tower’s construction — was the creative touchstone for Chanel’s wintery-looking couture.
• With input from AP
Elie Saab wows with GoT-inspired collection
Elie Saab wows with GoT-inspired collection
Cambodia takes back looted historic artifacts handled by British art dealer
- The objects were returned under a 2020 agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the family of the late Douglas Latchford, a British art collector and dealer who allegedly had the items smuggled out of Cambodia
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodian officials on Friday received more than six dozen historic artifacts described as part of the country’s cultural heritage that had been looted during decades of war and instability.
At a ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many, the 74 items were unveiled at the National Museum in Phnom Penh after their repatriation from the United Kingdom.
The objects were returned under a 2020 agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the family of the late Douglas Latchford, a British art collector and dealer who allegedly had the items smuggled out of Cambodia.
“This substantial restitution represents one of the most important returns of Khmer cultural heritage in recent years, following major repatriations in 2021 and 2023 from the same collection,” the Culture Ministry said in a statement. “It marks a significant step forward in Cambodia’s continued efforts to recover, preserve, and restore its ancestral legacy for future generations.”
The artifacts were described as dating from the pre-Angkorian period through the height of the Angkor Empire, including “monumental sandstone sculptures, refined bronze works, and significant ritual objects.” The Angkor Empire, which extended from the ninth to the 15th century, is best known for the Angkor Wat archaeological site, the nation’s biggest tourist attraction.
Latchford was a prominent antiquities dealer who allegedly orchestrated an operation to sell looted Cambodian sculptures on the international market.
From 1970 to the 1980s, during Cambodia’s civil wars and the communist Khmer Rouge ‘s brutal reign, organized looting networks sent artifacts to Latchford, who then sold them to Western collectors, dealers, and institutions. These pieces were often physically damaged, having been pried off temple walls or other structures by the looters.
Latchford was indicted in a New York federal court in 2019 on charges including wire fraud and conspiracy. He died in 2020, aged 88, before he could be extradited to face charges.
Cambodia, like neighboring Thailand, has benefited from a trend in recent decades involving the repatriation of art and archaeological treasures. These include ancient Asian artworks as well as pieces lost or stolen during turmoil in places such as Syria, Iraq and Nazi-occupied Europe. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the prominent institutions that has been returning illegally smuggled art, including to Cambodia.
“The ancient artifacts created and preserved by our ancestors are now being returned to Cambodia, bringing warmth and joy, following the country’s return to peace,” said Hun Many, who is the younger brother of Prime Minister Hun Manet.
