Imperial Elie Saab for Couture Fall/Winter 2012-2013.

Elie Saab sent down elegant long, slinky, sumptuous and elegant black gowns that were lacey, transparent and sexy down the runway that are fit for his high end lady clientele. This just set the tone of what to expect from this designer for the fall/winter season.



An emphasis was put on the waist by pinching it in and offering some blousey silhouettes that were all encrusted with beads, sequins and embroidery. Some necklines and deep V-backs of some gowns were traced with beautiful delicate lace. A touch of neat braided hair and a great walk made a true power of elegance radiate throughout the show.



Turkey is the inspiration for Saab, with Ottoman motifs "infusing the collection with imperial splendor," he said. That he did for sure with a plethora of encrusted embroideries and giving a lightness with whispering Bospherous blues on some dresses and the faded carpet prints adorning others. Plenty of gold was sprinkled effortlessly on gowns, cocktail suits and coats.



A plunging sizzling gold number worn by the beautiful Karlie Kloss framed her waist with two crescent shapes which are symbols to the empire and Constantinople. Finally the bride with all her might carried the heavy brocaded gown and lengthy train and she gracefully did pull all of it with all her might. The gown was beautiful but may be a bit challenging to walk down the aisle. All in all this collection has many red carpet looks and is truly imperial and had all the wonderful touches that are perfect for anyone who wants to feel like a princess.

Elie Saab

Haute Couture

Autumn/Winter

2012-2013

Giogio Armani Privé is about Sunrise and Midnight for Couture Fall/Winter 2012-13.

There is one word that labels this Armani Privé collection for Fall/Winter: BEAUTIFUL! Yes, with capital letters. Giorgio Armani this time did a study of the sensitivity of light and shade. He demonstrated this with sunrise and midnight hues that created an impeccable collection.



The show opened with a masculine sense of style mixed with feminine touches with shirtlike jackets in billowing organza with wide legged velvet pants. What was dominant were dressy pants which seem to be Armani's main fashion message. Beautiful flowing black velvet pants paired with filmy organza cardigans with silvery embroideries proved to make a point in high feminine elegance. Daybreak colors were used and leaned towards evening. Waistcoats and peak lapel jackets in heavy silks proved to be such examples. Armani who is known to use a grey-to-beige color palette turned out vivid color-block tops and a cheery tricolor tunic.



When the crickets on the soundtrack started it was the moment for the night-sky portion of the collection which was stunning. The sinuous and sleek black gowns were the popular silhouette at this fall collection and many of them were strapless.

The models were veiled with crystal studded tunic scarves adding a mystic touch to the designs. The show was in its climax when one stunning dress after another came out in sequins and rhinestones, velvet, organza and satins; all in different hues of midnight blues and blacks.



The finale look was a spectacular bustier dress with Swarovski Elements that looked like constellations dripping down all over it. Armani really captured the sunset and the night sky filled with sparkling stars so well and made it all look exquisite.

Armani Privé

Haute Couture

Fall/Winter

2012-13



Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter Couture 2012 is Borderline Dandy.



The couture collections by Jean Paul Gaultier are always to look forward to.



The space was filling up with anticipating haute couture spectators. But then there was an eighty minute wait that verged to a space of annoyance. It was crowded and too hot in this venue even though there were newly installed airconditioning. Due to a movie shoot that went on at the site since eight in the morning it did not sit well with all there who were spectators to the show. Hopefully with a fabulous show the annoyance would dissolve and all would be forgotten. The satisfaction was not guaranteed.



The show opened with Pete Doherty's mournful declaration on the soundtrack that he has the disease of the century debauched disillusionment), the snippet from the film "Confession Child of the Century," in which Doherty plays a 19th century aesthete. IN addition to this was Gaultier's inspiration of Metropolis mixed with a Jazz-Age dandy motif. The designer showed off his tailoring and top hats, metal headbands and wonderfully decorated wraps were accessories. The perfect cuts that Gaultier always offers in every collection are all divine. He offered many ideas of which some were great and some were simply tricky or just flat.



The endless mannish looks that paraded down the runway all seemed out of place in this couture presentation. If there were men's "haute couture" shows it would make more sense to present there. Maybe it was too late to show these dandy pieces at the time of the men's show which ended the week before. If Gaultier was trying to make androgyny a point he could have been clearer. Out of the plethora of futuristic flapper looks there were some that can be picked that were stunning.



Now that Puig is holding the majority of stake, Gaultier is a house of transition. Hopefully Gaultier can take a moment to just step back and take a breath and go to the drawing board and create a collection that is more cohesive and at the same time expressing the Gaultier touch we know and love.

Jean Paul Gaultier

HAUTE COUTURE

Autumn/Winter

2012-2013



New Vintage at CHANEL for Fall/Winter Couture 2012-2013.

CHANEL

continues to be one of the best couture houses in the world.

This Fall season Karl Lagerfeld made sure that this collection stands out, especially in the wake of the debut of a certain newcomer in the world of couture. The words classic and new comes to mind after viewing this collection. Once more it is couture at its best.

The collection was presented at the Grand Palais, Lagerfeld's favorite venue. There were tons of trees with silk camellias around the room and white wicker furniture gave a nice summer flavor to the room, where people simply lounged under a beautiful ceiling mural of painted clouds that took three weeks to complete. The invitation and press notes featured Lagerfeld's illustration of Mademoiselle against a pink background which is a nice touch that matches with the presentation.



"I like the title New Vintage. It's very Chanel, but it's not vintage yet. It's the next vintage, and what Chanel should be 100 years after the house opened." Which is obviously even more so since Lagerfeld's tenure has kept the essence of the house secure as well as keeping the standards of its couture extremely high. This is so by manifesting day wear that came out one after another in an array of tweeds in various mixtures of black, grey, white and pink. The sporty looks were impeccable. The winter coats are perfect and worth fighting for. Very ultra chic.



Evening was light, delicate and feminine and had the CHANEL touches and details that looked romantic and elegant. Ultra chic continues here. Soft looks and delicate blouses were paired with beautiful trousers to a beautiful steel grey silk charmuse number over a light soft pink dress. You just have to have a look for yourself and witness the beautiful line up and enjoy these top drawer looks.



From beginning to end this collection is not only created by the genius of Lagerfeld but also by the hands of the ateliers of CHANEL. The atelier did wonderful work in embroidery, sequin and bead work and intricate lace patch work. This collection is one that Mademoiselle CHANEL would be proud of and certainly tickled pink about it and she would have been amused at the idea of the new vintage look.

CHANEL

Haute Couture

Autumn/Winter

2012-2013