PARIS, July 9, 2003/ FW/ --- The House of Torrente seems to be caught in an interim soul search. With the sudden departure of founder Rose Met just days before the Ready-to-Wear collections last March, the label turned to assistant Christophe Jossé for the fall couture collection.

With no permanent appointment of a new Artistic Designer yet announced, one is left to question what the future may hold.

Torrente Couture, not unlike the famed restaurant La Tour d'Argent previously steered by Claude Terrail, made its name by being fabulously out of synch with the times.

In the Silver Tower, however, after the patina had sufficiently tarnished, and the stars had fallen from the Michelin Guide, Terrail handed over the reins to his son, who now must find a way to move forward.

At Torrente, with the last of the Embassy balls and gala evenings at the Opéra waning, traditional couture à la 70s necessarily speaks to a dwindling market.

The world is changing, and either you change with it, or you become a not so shiny relic of the past.

The collection that opened Paris couture week on Monday seemed to be stuck in the threshold.

A rocking soundtrack replaced the traditional classical mix, the Opéra room of the Grand Hôtel Intercontinental replaced the Imperial Room of the Hôtel Intercontinental, and every once and a while, some contemporary looking creation found its way onto the catwalk.

An aged crocodile leather tulip top was paired with pin stripe slacks, a deconstructed chiffon dress had a series of holes eaten away at the core.

Otherwise, trains of sheer mousseline, yards of draping chiffon and the occasional plumed border was the menu of the day.

Rose Met sat front row and jumped up to applaud the collection.

Christophe Jossé nearly ran down the runway seemingly anxious to escape, and the splendid crystal chandelier above it all glistened as it has for the last 100 years.