ArdAzAei – Couture AW25

The lofty, softly lit halls of the historic Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris served as the runway for Swedish label ArdAzAei’s autumn/winter ’24 Haute Couture showcase, the brand’s first on the official schedule of Paris Haute Couture Week. As models emerged, their inky graphic eyeliners and Princess Leia-worthy braided hair hinted at creative director and founder Bahareh Ardakani’s inspiration for the collection.

Entitled ‘Calabi–Yau: The Hidden Dimensions’, the line-up fuses science fiction with the physics of fabrication, exploring a universe where high fashion meets the fascinating world of physics. “Geometry and mathematics have inspired me since ArdAzAei’s inception for their ability to reveal the rhythms of nature, and this collection is based on the curiosity of how different materials with different properties can be manipulated to create the optics of geometry in motion,” explains Ardakani. She was particularly drawn to String Theory, which suggests that the universe’s smallest particles are one-dimensional vibrating strings, forming Calabi–Yau spaces that can harbour infinite hidden dimensions.

Related: The biggest stars at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week

Honing in on the Calabi–Yau manifolds, a sequence of mathematically generated shapes swirling within each other that help visualise how the multiple dimensions of string theory relate to each other, Ardakani was captivated by the shapes that “when laid flat, appear reminiscent of the petals of a Persian rose – yet when they are folded together, form a series of infinitely related loops.”

Thus, sculptural silhouettes boasting layers, pleats, and curves take centre stage in ArdAzAei’s AW24 Couture offering, masterfully incorporated into an array of floor-skimming gowns and playful mini frocks, arriving in opulent purples and cosmic blacks. The rose motif manifests in giant blossom appliqués and bedazzled satin petals adorning skirts and sleeves. Elsewhere, folded silk and lamé layers create circular shapes that evoke the essence of the Calabi–Yau manifolds. This season, ArdAzAei’s signature tailoring adopts a deconstructed approach, featuring futuristic high collars, hourglass-esque corsets, and razor-sharp shoulders that redefine contemporary elegance. Hand-embroidered crystals, glass beads, and sequins shimmer like the infinite starry sky or “space dust,” as Ardakani poetically puts it.

See all the looks from ArdAzAei’s AW24 Haute Couture collection below: