PARIS, Jul 4, 2007/ FW/ --- There was a time when movie stars were only seen in black and white; there was a time -before Technicolor- when shades of grey created glamour and elegance; there was a time when beauty was draped in pleats that made women the likes of antique deities. Elie Saab, in his couture collection for fall 2007, presented today in the Paris Cirque d’Hiver, has reinterpreted images coming straight from his fantasized memories of literally- silver screen highlights.

The result is sizzling with sparkle. Season after season, the Lebanese designer is perfecting his craft, particularly since he has become a Paris regular both for haute couture and ready-to-wear. For this collection, like the most Parisian couturiers, Elie Saab has chosen to narrow his field and stick to it throughout the 55 looks he sent on a circular runway. Silver though was not a mere substitute for the gold which he had used before in his much talked about ready-to-wear collection for Spring 2007, when he had decided to shine with hope as a proud citizen of a wounded country. His best innovations consisted this time in the use he made of long fringes of silver in what he called Charleston dresses.

It appeared first in a short dress underlined by grey georgette, delicately embroidered, and draped over one shoulder only. But the designer also used the same shiny silver fringes on several pieces, all the way to look number 54, one of the several standouts: a long sheath with one strap only over the left shoulder and a split over the left thigh. Partly embroidered with rhinestones, this evening dress also displays geometrical inlays of the shiny vertical lines created by fringes to underline and contrast with the curves of the female body.

The black evening dresses also all made a statement, and finally the pieces made of large patterns printed on muslin certainly have a big potential of appearing on the red carpet too.

Nevertheless some commentators argued that there were too many repetitions in this collection, some even answered to that point that Elie Saab simply could not take options and was thus simply proposing his customers with every possible variation on the same idea.

These critics might juts have forgotten that at such a time for couture, clients are the most vital element. At least, Elie Saab has many and he is certainly, and very cleverly, working and showing first and foremost to sell. A fact that many a couturier could easily envy, as many a piece seen on other runways will -let us be honest- never be bought.

If the market cannot justify everything, at least a designer cannot be held responsible for taking his clientele into account when he comes up with reasonably wearable eveningwear.

There was proof of that once again on the very evening for the grand opening of the Paris see of the house of Elie Saab. On 1 Rond-Point des Champs Elyssees, on the premises that used to be the see of the House of Torrente (and earlier in the 20th century of Paul Poiret), many couture clients had gathered in the beautifully revamped shop, and couture salon, where Elie Saab has also opened now a mini-studio and atelier of five people to take care of special requests, on top of his Beirut premises and atelier which count more than one hundred seamstresses.

Elie Saab is proving by this, and also in the collection he presented today, that Paris is more than an image for him and couture, not a mere a marketing tool, but above all a live business. It is nice and clever that some designer reminds the fashion shows’ attendees that clothes are pieces meant to be bought and worn.