Who doesn’t dream of wearing decadent couture dresses and attending summer parties? The Paris haute couture shows left us in a whimsical mood, struck by the finery, the details and femininity of the pieces. Haute couture has always taken fashion to new peaks, scaling the heights of genius that only some designers can achieve.
Dior: Runway - Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture S/S 2012
Christian Dior
It’s been a year since John Galliano was discharged from Dior, and now Bill Gaytten, the acting Creative Director, has unveiled his vision for spring/summer 2012. Ever so similar to Dior’s ‘New Look’ collection that shocked the world in 1947, the garments thrilled the audience and featured organza blouses, gorgeous half-sleeved coats and voluminous skirts.
The emphasis was on elegance and reiterating the demure but beautiful attitude of the forties and fifties. Colours ranged from beiges, blacks and whites to glamorous scarlet – suitable for ladies of any age and showing that couture, if done well (and it rarely isn’t), is for everyone.
Versace
We were ever so excited about this show, which was Versace’s first couture offering since 2004, making that eight painful years of waiting. The audience waited with bated breath at the intimate presentation within the gallery at the École des Beaux-Arts.
The show seemed to be inspired by a mix of Downton Abbey and The Fifth Element, with traditional corsetry combined with futuristic shapes. The detail was in the corsetry, which transformed models into statuesque glamazons, who with one look could send you all of a quiver. Versace‘s collection was fierce and beautiful, with gold metal petals placed around the necklines and the hips, which lifted the fabric to create a 3D effect.
Creamy colours worked perfectly with layers of tulle and gorgeous ball gowns. Contrasting this were the neon-yellow jumpsuits, where the corset formed the curvature of the women.
Following on from Versace’s successful collaboration with H&M, Donatella Versace told The Telegraph that this venture, “made me realise I had to come back to Paris to show that Versace is a couture house.”
Giorgio Armani Prive
This couture show was inspired by Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, in which a man wakes to find himself transformed into a monstrous insect-like creature. Cocoon-shaped dresses led to snakeskin patterned garments, all in shades of luminous green, hypnotic metallics and beaded fabrics.
The designs were complemented with futuristic spiral headgear by Philip Treacy that carried on the sci-fi theme.
And the drama wasn’t only on the catwalk, someone else came under the spotlight: The Help actress, Jessica Chastain, discovered just before the show started that she had been nominated for an Oscar. As word spread around the venue the fashion crowd broke with tradition and into a cheer. We wonder if Jessica spotted something to wear on the red carpet next month during the show?
Valentino
Valentino designers Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri pulled out all the stops this season, as they unveiled a gorgeous collection inspired by Marie Antoinette.
Tulle, embroidery and lace came together in an extraordinary way, while florals were given a modern twist. Since Valentino retired, the industry has seen his signature design accents alluded to, and never more so than with this collection.
Despite lashings of tulle and pastel colours, some of the pieces were transitional into autumn/winter. But one thing’s for sure, these pieces will definitely have you dreaming of warmer months.
