Just a Quick Rundown
Haute Couture is for a few but inspiration for all. This is the week when fashion houses unleash pageantry at its most 17thcentury finest. Sheer splendor in the air meticulous designs, some taking hundreds of man and woman hours to produce. Shapes and colors in all structures combined for display on the catwalk, then on display for a few buyers, celebrities, and press.
Valentino’s head Piccioli is now the head of the optimistic club judging by this colorful collection. So Vivid!Not just colors, but shapes, lace, frills, ruffles, and extravagance of it all. Super model Naomi Campbell closed the show in a black sheer top.
What Armani does it is for Armani woman. Prive designs are about getting noticed but not in a noticeable way. The looks seemed inspired from a 30’s films. Suits, jackets, and dress fitted for the body from head to toe. The Woman in Red, look #34, has Joan Crawford written all over it, a jacket with a calf link dress stops the room.
Olivier Rousteing brought Balmain back the Couture zone. He took his moment, white, and soft pastel colors, but the shapes. The models donned looks small orbs on the wrist, and giant ones on the shoulders. Look #24, short, with the big fan and bow is a knockout.
A fashion show as a circus setting, Maria Chiura commands couture by making her looks themed around a most elegant clown. All the world loves a circus. I liked the 68 pieces presented. Look #4, sheer black stripped with collar, red sheet mini skirt is precious.
Jean Paul Gaultier presented 63 looks. The verdict, still on the edge but not fighting for the rest of us to catch up. The classic breton stripes, fringes, pointy shoulders from a Flash Gordon film could inflict harm but on a runway model proved visually dramatic. The soft baby blue, #56, halter top, mini ruffles with train peaked my interest.
Chanel’s homage to lush and wealth of past stood front and center. Lagerfeld focused on rigid forms and strong shoulders for the 62 look show at the Grand Palais. The embroided strapless of look #54 is a keeper.
Galliano at Maison Margiela destroys, interprets only to reconstruct. The two piece black look. #32, leather pants and cropped sleeveless bolero jacket is for the nightlife.
Guo Pei turns couture collections into Asian fairytales. Skirts, thigh high boots, silks, and floral patterns for the Femme Fatal of the Orient. The silver silk , #5, or organza dress with head piece is precious.
