HAUTE COUTURE
France, 2021, 100 minutes, Colour.
Nathalie Baye, Lyna Khoudri, Pascale Arbillot, Soumaye Bocoum, Adam Bessa.
Directed by Sylvie Ohayon.
The title indicates exclusivity in the fashion world, it is used by the house of Dior.
Which means that this is going to be a fashion film. However, it is much more. On the fashion level, the audience is invited into the workroom of the company, the range of staff, their work, their desks, designs, skills, materials and fabrics. There are the talents of the various workers as well as the finished products and the role of the models, poses, wearing the dresses, the audience seeing the alterations as the model stands, everybody busy around her. The audience is certainly immersed in this world.
However, the film begins rather dramatically, Esther (Nathalie Baye) standing on a Metro station and two young women setting her up, stealing her bag and running away. It has quite an effect on Esther, upset, physically disturbed.
And the film shows the two young women, living in a quite a contrasting area of Paris, away from the fashion houses, neighbourhoods with racial issues, especially between Arabs and non-Arabs. We see the friendship of the two girls, especially Jade who is the centre of the action, caring for her, hypochondriac mother at home, dealing with her moods.
Jade seems to be intrigued by the woman from whom she stole, tracks her down, encounters her, gives back the bag. Instead of calling the police, Esther, noticing Jade’s fine hands, offers her an introduction to the world of fashion, inviting her in, explanations, making the work attractive, praising Jade’s possibilities.
Which means that this is a story of mentorship, a relationship between an older and a younger woman, the willingness of the older woman, the moodiness and suspicions of the younger woman, especially the criticisms of her friend at home.
And, there are the small politics within the craft room, the loyal subordinate, the haughty critical woman, the model and the hard work of just being there and wearing dresses, the young man with Arab background who changes his name to Abel and Jade’s encounter with the Arab security guard.
So, are very French human drama, characters, interactions, and for fashionistas, the satisfying scenes of design and making of high-fashion gowns.
- The title, the tone, the strict use by the house of Dior?
- Fashion, the visuals of clothes, fabrics, completed outfits, dresses, the craft, the techniques, the role of the models?
- Paris, the Metro station, the streets, apartments and interiors, the fashion company, the craft room? The contrasting neighbourhoods, hard life? The score?
- And the Metro, Esther and the snatching of her purse? Her age, life, devoted to fashion, her friends, alienation from her daughter, the Jewish background, her health? Her status with the company, accountable to the superiors, yet managing the work room, the other workers, her demands, her skills?
- Katherine, humane, supportive, her work, the challenges? The contrast with Andre, harsh attitudes, treatment of others, especially Jade?
- Jade, age, background, her friendship with wide, their life, hopes, plans, opportunities, Lack of opportunities? At home, her mother ill, cantankerous, her care for her, exasperation is? The friendship with loud, racial issues, cultural issues? Sue Our and her family?
- Jade, the decision to return the bag, the discussions with Esther, tentative, wary, the meal? Esther’s comments on Jade’s hands and her skills? Jade tentative, leaving, boots, going home, brusque reactions? Yet going to the room, discovering the craft, the workers? Learning her skills, practice, taking home work? Family reactions, Siraj reactions? A greater involvement in the work, transforming question
- Esther, her reaction, the strain, collapse, recovery, return to work?
- Abel, his role in the company, work, model, race issues, his change of name? The relationship with Jade?
- Racial and cultural issues, Arabs, non-Arabs? Esther as Jewish? Symbolised with the Arab security guard?
