Twelve years ago, before he carved out his place in the Paris fashion ecosystem, Mossi Traoré staged a fashion show at Père Lachaise cemetery. This time round, Paris City Hall declined his request to show there, but he was unperturbed, determined to celebrate what he sees as the poetry of the famous graveyard, channeling it as a message not to fear death. This was most literally interpreted on a pantsuit emboldened with the epithet “Mon amie la mort” (“My friend Death,” in English), one of a series of statement looks that also included a tank top calling for peace.

But it was with his sculptural yet ethereal silhouettes, in which Traoré excels, that he was most successful in translating couture aesthetics for everyday with an arty twist.

Defying macabre interpretations, the fan of Madame Grès wanted to channel a heroine who lives, dines and parties among the tombstones. He draped and sculpted a range of fabrics, from crisp cotton and denim to lace and organza, via jersey and ribbed wool, creating soft yet articulate lines in a collection that celebrated the female body, showing more skin than is his wont.

“I imagined a woman like a Greek goddess in Père Lachaise, with the idea of sculpting the body with plays on draping and gradients that reflect the colors of the cemetery,” Traoré explained backstage before the show.

Spaghetti strap apron dresses, body-hugging jersey and voluminous yet vaporous organza constructions that bled from beige to gold were among the highlights, some paired with high-waisted tailored denim pants.

Numerous silhouettes were informed by the folds of closed umbrellas, a nod to the exhibition Traoré is preparing for the MUCEM in Marseilles next year. A jersey parachute dress was draped and held in place by ropes, worn with a lace veil in one look exploring bridal wear. The collection also saw a pair of brides walk down the aisle, linked by a shared black veil that looked to evoke an ancestral marriage ritual.