Denim is not exactly a haute-couture fabric, but it looked very at home in a great finale to a polished and dreamlike collection by Elie Saab, staged on a wild and wet Wednesday morning in Paris.

Climaxing a courageous collection with a half-dozen towering mannequins in denim – each more dramatic than the next. Led by Joan Smalls in an Oscar-worthy sari, a yard of denim thrown over her arm like a Rajasthani princess.
 
Followed by three bustier looks, the second in a punchy jumpsuit, finished with an off-the-shoulder opera coat. The third in a va-va-voom floor-sweeping gown slit up to the hip – and worn with drama by Lineisy Montero, the Dominican Republic beauty. 

Everything finished with crystal floral embroidery – especially the fifth – wide pants combined with a mesh tulle top. The sixth and final exit was a brilliant expression of bias cut – an Adrian-worthy red-carpet gown on Candice Swanepoel, the Victoria Secret’s uber-supe from South African. She has rarely looked better. Talk about demonic denim.
 
Prior to that, there was a great deal of classical Saab couture – statuesque lace and metallic columns with glittering beading. Though he also broke new ground with several smoldering boudoir looks for very fit brides.

See catwalk

The collection winning Elie a huge roar of approval from the audience of some 600 guests inside the curving exhibition space of the Palais de Tokyo. Led by Bond Girl Olga Kurylenko, Brazilian star influencer Helena Bordon, and UK celebs Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Poppy Delevingne.  
 
“I was in the mood for a new direction. So, when I asked Carine (Roitfeld, master stylist) what she thought of using denim, she responded, ‘Go for it!’ And we sure did,” chuckled a jolly Saab backstage.
 
Let Phoenician denim rule, ok?