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

Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall 2012 is a Beauty of Nature.

Haute Couture is always a marvelous garden of high quality clothes that are breath taking and that satisfies the anticipation of the clients, editors and the entire world that loves fashion.
Giambattista Valli created his third haute couture collection which expressed a quality that looked highly lush and feminine. Beautiful silhouettes merged with ruffles and volume were outstanding.

This time it looked as if nature whispered to Valli in his dreams, guiding him every step of the way and at the same time supporting him in creating this collection. He pushed his experiments further. Cocktail dresses had much flares at the hip that were just perfect. Layered organza were fluffy for peplum on jackets.

Ruffles jutted out of the sides of dresses and gowns and layers of ruffles were around the neck.
The array of botanical print gave the impression of nature showing its beauty through clothes.

Some were cut into leaf or petal shapes and densely embroidered onto dresses. Over models heads were netting that on some had a butterfly on the mouth as if they were forest nymphs that were summoned to model these designs.



The volume throughout speaks for itself and the colors started from autumnal colors and ended to a vivid green color palette. These beautiful nature inspired sculptures are pure couture. Valli's followers have great looks to choose from. There is no excuse not to get at least one, two or more pieces from this collection. After all, haute couture is all about exquisite clothes and Giambattista Valli definitely knows how to design them.

Giambattista Valli 

Haute Couture

Autumn/Winter 

2012-2013

Glamorous Sculptures at Alexis Mabille Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012/2013.



The fall couture showing of Alexis Mabille followed after Raf Simon's much anticipated debut at Christian Dior. That is a tough act to follow. At Dior the collection was a much stripped down modernity. At Alexis Mabille an opulent and glamorous line up was unveiled at the Shangri-La Hotel. The gowns were inspired by precious jewels and were made of silky velvets, metallic lace, stretch sequins fabric and lames in beautiful rich shades of emerald, garnet, tanzanite - and some were sprinkled with fabulous Swarofsky crystals for the extra bling.



The lamé dresses looked like sheets of iridescent foil sculpted onto the body giving a very shiny a sense of young kitsch. The Hollywood-like silhouettes would have been fitting for classic stars like Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, or Carole Lombard.

Beautiful red and black crepe gowns featured beautiful cowl backs, a beaded silver gown had a fragile touch of a midnight blue sheath over it and the nude color finale gown gave a beautiful whisper of subtle sex appeal with a touch of sparkle under a layer of tulle.

I like that Mabille takes risks in silhouettes, fabric choice, and details. The outcome is always charming. Just like him!

Alexis Mabille

Haute Couture

Fall/Winter

2012-2013

Bouchra Jarrar Haute Couture Fall 2012 is Thumbs Up!

The collection by Bouchra Jarrar shown on Monday July 3rd was based on one single piece. "I used all of the items of the day to day trench coat, always keeping the fitted waist," she said. She cropped the trench into a sleeveless top over a skirt.

A lot of A-line shapes had movement and were matched with V-neck shells and some wonderful tops were matched with elegantly tailored pants.

Details throughout the collection were trenchlike straps and buckles. Very tasteful eveningwear was also a strong factor in the collection. With the soft blues and purples Jarrar made use of some elements such as corsetry, leather and hardware to give alight "aggression" in the mix. Short evening looks were just as perfect for any of Jarrar's clients. All of the pieces in this collection can be combined with non-couture pieces.
Once these garments are worn, one can't help but feel like a million bucks. Jarrar is a valuable couturier to have around because she puts thought into what a woman's needs are and what is practical yet make her look super elegant and modern at the same time. Perfect.

Bouchra Jarrar

Haute Couture 

Autumn/Winter

2012/2013

Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012. The Raf Simons Era Begins.

Christian Dior is one of the most luxurious and beautiful brands in the world. Monsieur Dior himself always created clothes that were highly exquisite and unique. They had the most elegant touches in construction, detail and silhouette. Not only did they make a woman look beautiful but they made her feel beautiful as well. Today the house of Christian Dior continues to create the most beautiful clothes designed by the very talented and made by the best hands.

2012 marks a new era for the house of Dior with the most anticipated debut since Galliano's own debut in 1997. The beginning of the Raf Simons era took place in a grand residence in a series of rooms, the walls of each covered densely packed, floor to ceiling with flowers. One room had white orchids, deep purple delphiniums and multi blooms in another.  And in these rooms sat editors, executives and clients. The house ambassadors Sharon Stone and Marion Cotillard  were present, as well as a variety of supportive competitive designers - Azzedine Alaïa, Marc Jacobs, Riccardo Tisci, Diane Von Furstenberg, Donatella Versace, as well as Pierre Cardin, Jean-Louis Scherrer, and Alber Elbaz. "We designers don't hate each other like they used to." says Marc Jacobs. Riccardo Tisci said the collection is "very Raf" and "the future of fashion."

The collection opened with a tuxedo that is an elegant updated Bar suit in black. "Cut off ballgown" ensembles came out with slim cigarette pants that were richly embroidered and elegant. There were some soft party dresses in the mix with a mixture of true couture craft. There was a dress of wide bands of pale pink and blue feathers that was quite exquisite.

Major focus was put on construction and subtle detail that at the same time offered a range from elegant sophistication to the younger end without compromising the Dior aesthetic. Simons worked on various fabric weights from astrakhan and mink to chiffon and mesh.

In the midst of all his blacks and greys he expressed his love for color in the form of a "Dior Red" coat and a shocking citron dress of sheer T-shirt and skirt.

In this entire collection Simons showed the respect for the house founder through his research of the fabulous archival wonders as the Bar, the florals, the range of grey tweeds while staying in the 21st century.

The house of Dior is already on the way with the New Looks and will do extremely well with old and new clients. LVMH Moët Hennesy Louis Vuitton chairman and chief executive officer Bernard Arnault gave Simons a straightforward brief. "I simply told him: 'It's Dior, so give us your version, your vision of what Dior is today. You have the result. I think it's fantastic, " he said. After the show, Arnault said his yearlong designer search was worth the wait. "I didn't want to rush," he said. It was really a question of choosing the best person for the job, and he stood head and shoulders above the rest: the greatest talent of the moment for Dior, the greatest house in the world."

I am sure that Monsieur Dior himself would agree and would also be pretty pleased. After his first collection for Dior, Raf Simons will definitely continue to evolve in his craft as an amazing haute couture designer. Congratulations!

Christian Dior 

Haute Couture

Autumn/Winter

2012-2013

Stella McCartney Spring/Summer 2012.

Stella McCartney designed a collection that was full of relaxing and beautiful clothes that are perfect for comfort and ease and pretty feminine. The main motif throughout was the cresting curlique embroideries that edged the scalloped hems of miniskirts and the lapels on blazers. They were added on to the sportswear that was divided into tank dresses and tailoring. There were many short dresses that were short and looked as though two dresses were layered on top of each other with some details of mesh. They came in combinations of white, black and cobalt blue.

The men's wear styles were marvelous and the tailoring was impeccable and came in smart and new shapes in forms of jackets and pants. There were great prints and paisleys on spare tailored jumpsuits and some pyjama style looks demanded comfort. The body hugging dresses with the mesh panels down the side were downright pretty and sexy.
These designs are the expression of Stella McCartney's vision for Spring and Summer of 2012 and is truly unique, classy and modern. I am looking forward to see what she designed for the British teams for the London 2012 Olympic Games. It is no mistake that she is meant to be a designer.

Stella McCartney

Spring/Summer

2012

A Beautiful Balenciaga Spring/Summer 2012.

While taking his bow after his Balenciaga show an emotional Nicolas Ghesquiere mouthed "Sorry, sorry."  If you are wondering what he was sorry for it is because of the collapse of the benches that all fell like dominos as the room filled up. After three or four crashes a voice over the p.a. system asked in French and in English for everyone to stand up and watch the show fully upright.

The presentation that began with a high fashion statement of structure and volume put this collapse behind and pulled the attention of the room on this highly chic line-up. Earlier on he said "I don't know if oversize is the right term for that type of construction. But this famous, and for me, a very functional, concept of Cristobal is the idea of the space between the body and the fabric.The clothes float away from the body. It's one of the big iconic things of Balenciaga. The fluidity of floating is beautiful, but it is something else. An architectural piece floating around the body is very structural. I think it's something that Balenciaga invented."

Ghesquiere has reinvented  this concept and by seeing these clothes there is nothing else but beautiful construction and a mixture of fabrics that absolutely showed what design and fashion is all about by thinking out of the box. The oversized pieces that were grand in proportions were lightweight that came in graphic color plays. Fabric collages came many shapes some of which were worn with super short pants.

The exaggerated, downward sloping brims that Balenciaga introduced in 1967 were worn with some of these inspirations. All of this is a continuous flow of ideas and inspirations that Ghesquiere channels for Balenciaga and are always marvelous must haves. What was Nicolas sorry about? I forgot.

BALENCIAGA

Spring/Summer

2012

Liking Lanvin for Spring/Summer 2012

When a designer has created a string of fabulous collections that were successful it indicates that it would be unwise to just coast along and relax. It is more about thinking more or less out of the box. And Alber Elbaz thought about how the Internet has changed the way he designs. "I thought 'All I want is a gray jogging suit, but in the street it will be so boring,'" said Elbaz during a preview. "Then I said, 'You know what? We are not X-raying everything.' So for me it was more important [how the clothes] would feel than how it would photograph." 

 

Elbaz came up with clothes perfect and chic for comfort. And so the jogging suit made it along with the T-shirts, pencil skirts and loose shirt dresses opened the show. The Track pants with side stripes and slits were sexy. A white T-shirt was done with special, structured sleeves. And the stretch scuba material was worked into tight skirts, boned on one side to prevent from riding up. A spectacular color-blocked dress with long sleeves and a bejeweled snake slithering up the side and around the neck was a delight.

Elbaz moved away from the draping and tucking that shaped most successful collections but he pointed out that his costumers wanted it. He found a way to reinstate it through pronounced, padded shoulders created from tucked fabric on sleeveless blouses, silky sweatshirts and tailored jackets. Elbaz called them "wings".

In the end there was a fabulous Eighties vibe that was completely out of control with chic and glamour. Crystal crosses and gold chokers were piled on and were absolutely fun. Tracksuits were done in green and black snake prints and dresses that were soft and pleated held with safety pins are perfect touches to the line up. This is a wonderful sense of evolution always happening at Lanvin and Alber Elbaz is behind it all. Jeanne Lanvin would be absolutely proud.

LANVIN

Spring/Summer

2012

Haider Ackermann Spring 2012 is Ravisant!!

An exquisite collection by Haider Ackermann. The silhouettes are elegant and relaxed and had such grace as they appeared on the runway. The beautiful oversized tailored jackets with the bunched up sleeves and popped collars over the matching drop-crotch pants that ballooned then tapered looked like Ackermann's own personal style in an exaggerated way.

He said the look was "Rockabilly Barons" finished with oxford mules. The cuts were based in traditional menswear but the fabrics were not and they looked tousled just like the hair on the models heads to resemble a pompadour. The fabrics were thick, shiny silks that were like shantung and geometric brocades came in beautiful jewel tones such as deep purple, crystal blue, persimmon, chartreuse and magenta all laced in gold and silver for an iridescent glow. There were a mixture of rich paisleys and madras that looked traditionally Indian. The heaviness of the upholstery fabrics were quite softened up by the sheer silks and chiffons made into elegant trumpet skirts and draped dramatically with veils.

After the show Ackermann said "This collection was about the woman who travels all over, bringing her wardrobe with her." Another influence to his collection was Yves Saint Laurent. The glamorous finale dress that was made with two vertical pewter lame strips attached to a long knife pleated skirt would have put a smile on YSL's face and he would say "Ravisant!!"

Nina Ricci is a Modern Lady for Spring 2012



"Very cute and very French" is what Peter Copping described the Nina Ricci Collection for Spring 2012. And what he showed was a collection that was truly Haute Couture Sixties with fabulous treatments of fabrics that made clothes that were quite chic and pretty much lady like. There were suited looks and dresses that were curvaceous and flirtatious in laces, cloques, and printed jacquards. Some delicate patchworks and encrustations of high-sparkle embroideries hit the spot. There was a touch of tough chic with a short biker jacket over a cocktail or a leather trench.

The prints came from the archive of Zina de Plagny, after whom Copping named his collection and who had done a great deal of work for the house founder. Copping had seen an article of de Plagny's daughter and keeper of his archive. He intended to get in touch with her but she found him first. He took his patterns directly from de Plagny, gentle florals memorable contrast with all the season's screamers.

It looks like Copping is putting a challenge into his work for Nina Ricci. All he needs to do now is to get a bit more bolder so that the evolution as a result of this could keep the excitement up and going. At the same token, this is quite the collection for any women who wants to be lady like and sexy.

Nina Ricci

Spring/Summer

2012

Christian Dior Spring 2012 is Pretty


As the house of Dior is going through its transition it seemed to make more sense in making clothes that are more commercial. This is what Bill Gaytten came up with for his second time designing for the house. No matter what the house is going through there is a loyal clientele that wants to buy a Dior outfit.


An LED light show surrounded the interior of the tent at the Musée Rodin tracing the signature moldings, that signaled the modernization of the house codes. Gaytten designed versions of the Bar jacket with a wide neckline and more streamlined basque. They are worn over organza blouses and bubble skirts done in airy gazar. There were pretty feminine pale colors, like ice blue and nude pink. Some punches of red were just right in the mixture of the graphic black and white check motif and geometric embroideries on skirts and dresses. Filmy silks, plied with tulle and lace flowed for evening.

This was not the spectacular fashion statement that the house showed in the past. Maybe because there was an absence of the flair of Gaytten's predecessor but there was the modification that maintains Dior's class and luxury that remains present in the world today. The clothes overall are exquisite in construction and quality. What more can you expect from the House of Dior, no matter who the creative director is?