The couture shows in Paris are where the big fashion houses and specialist designers get to flex their fashion muscle. Couture is the ultimate artistic expression for a designer, right from the research into the initial concept to the execution of the finished product.
The fabric sourcing and the seamstress's attention to detail together with the uniqueness of the fashion and the exclusive historical locations, set this week apart from the usual chaos of the ready-to-wear fashion weeks.
There are of course a few press, but for the most part the rooms are filled with the ultra-wealthy, who swan through Place Vendome dressed in their finest garments and jewellery - the audience and shows alike giving the world of Haute Couture its air of fantasy.
Christian Dior Haute Couture A/W 2010
The Christian Dior show featured colour, material, shape, and originality in spades leaving no doubt about the credibility and importance of couture. A vibrant palette plus Georgia O'Keefe-style flowers, hand painted silk, colour-graded chiffon and ruching and ruffling, topped by Stephen Jones’ coloured plastic wrap hats, gave the impression of otherworldliness and beauty, of both fashion and nature.
Christian Dior Haute Couture A/W 2010
Alexandre Vauthier Haute Couture A/W 2010
The young designer and Hollywood favourite showed his couture collection at Jean Nouvel's Institut du Monde Arab. The 1980s-inspired (if you can imagine) couture collection was focused on mainly dramatic silhouettes with big shoulders and black/white graphic contrasts. The minimalist monochrome silhouettes were contrasted with occasional ultra-glam purple and gold looks.
Alexandre Vauthier Haute Couture A/W 2010
Maison Martin Margiela Haute Couture A/W 2010
True to its identity, the Margiela team presented the collection in the actual atelier of the Margiela ’house’. The extensive research of material both old and new, animal skins, leather and fur was then laboriously and skilfully manipulated into 10 conceptual looks that were almost the exact opposite to colour and feel of the Dior show. The emphasis was on earthy natural colors, shades of tan, brown and black. We loved the Clutch Jacket, an incredible creation made entirely of vintage handbags and clutches in crocodile, lizard and snake skin, moulded on a mannequin and bonded with nappa leather - 61 hours of hand work
Maison Martin Margiela Haute Couture A/W 2010
Chanel Haute Couture A/W 2010
Within the luminous setting of the Grand Palais, the models appeared as if by magic from a giant pearl set under the paw of a majestic golden lion. There was a kind of demure royalty in the marriage of rich deep colors and glittering shimmering materials: maroons, reds, greens and blues accessorised with golden lion heads and crystal beads. In direct contrast to the rich palette and materials, the girls had tousled grungy hair, pale powdered skin and dark red lipstick and wore little puckered leather booties which gave the looks a more youthful edge.
Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture A/W 2010
Parisien classics, black and dramatic. Jean Paul Gaultier took his quintessential designs to a whole new level in couture with black mink cone breasts, taffeta silk trenches, and a white fox draped around a fitted silver leather outfit. Elaborate eyes, bright red lipstick, and impossibly high silk head wraps peppered the collection with color. The final touch was Dita Von Teese walking the catwalk in elaborate La Perla lingerie designed by Gaultier.
Valentino Haute Couture A/W 2010
Chic, youthful collection exploring the romantic ’Dark Side of First Love’. The collection was beautiful in its simplicity of cut and mix of materials, which kept it fresh yet still respectful of the classic couture shapes. Standouts were a stunning giant white flower of layered organza, a couture lace trimmed with feathers, and a blush-pink silk organza ribbed dress punctuated with little bows which made a poignant finale to the couture A/W collections.
Valentino Haute Couture A/W 2010
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