Haute Couture: Fall 2010

I have gushed sufficiently over the Dior presentation in an earlier post, and indeed it was my favourite show this season. Here are some other pieces which got my attention.


Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli continue to find their footing at the house of Valentino; their couture presentation was experimental to the point of confusion. Still, they did come up with this cage-like dress, which was, I think, the only compelling piece in the lot.

Gaultier's collection was typically French, dark and thought-provoking. He seemed to be exploring the more macabre side of glamour, with tons of untrimmed fur, corsets shaped like rib-cages, monocle adornments and smoking models. I really loved the strength of this loosely gathered coat...

...and the feathered dégradé effect on this skirt.

Innovative and multi-textured fabrics also appeared at Chanel.

Anyone who knows me knows I love booties. These ruched gold ones from Chanel echoed the leg feathers of the giant gold lion around which the girls traipsed.

Lagerfeld ended the Chanel presentation with a series of knee-length dresses with matching boots. The show had a decidedly imperial flavour: a nod to both Eastern and Western cultures which has marked his collections of late.

I didn't think I could love this piece from Armani Privé any more...

...until I saw the fabric up close.

Other Favourites: Resort 2011

A few other stand-outs from Resort 2011...

Denim on denim from YSL

Beautiful texture from Michael Kors

Shimmer and drama from Donna Karan; the collection was one of her finest.

Romance from Oscar de la Renta

If you thought the trench was played out, check out this lace-trimmed statement piece from Burberry Prorsum

Trendy? Yes. Practical? No. Flattering on most women's bodies? Certainly not. Still, for sheer coolness, this 3.1 Philip Lim outfit gets top marks.

Christian Dior Haute Couture, Fall 2010

The true genius in John Galliano's latest haute couture for the house of Dior is that he did floral with minimal use of print.






Instead, he used shape, colour and texture to shift away from the de rigueur, decorative arena of floral motif and presented flowers in more dynamic formal language; actual, larger than life flowers came down the runway, as opposed to fabrics covered with facsimiles.

Cellophane head-wraps and waists cinched with raffia and ribbon highlighted his dramatic-as-always interpretation, as Galliano wooed his audience/lover with couture bouquets, as if fresh from a Paris flowershop.

As much as I loved the collection, I did not like the shoes...