Paris Couture Fall 11 – My Favourite Looks

Ah, couture! The stuff that dreams are made of. Mine at least. I think this was a very strong season. Some shows really stood out to me. How gorgeous was Givenchy? Yes, it didn’t feel entirely new but really, who cares when the end result is so beautiful. The first look in particular felt like an evolution of the lilac and yellow (or was it gold) dress Cate Blanchett wore to the Oscars earlier this year. I also loved the fact that all the dresses were some shade of white. The collection looked sensational in the group shot.

Givenchy, look 1

Givenchy, look 5

Of course, Chanel never disappoints either. Apparently, Uncle Karl wants us to wear peplum skirts. Who are we to contradict?

Chanel, look 22

Chanel, look 32

Chanel, look 36

Chanel, look 41

Chanel, look 47

Let’s not talk about the dog’s dinner the Dior show was and move right on to the much lauded Armani Armani Privé collection. Honestly, I don’t see it. For me Armani didn’t feel fresh and that’s what I expect from couture. I don’t want to see something that’s been done for ages, only now done by Armani. I do understand that he had very personal and noble reasons to put out a collection that gives Japan the spotlight it deserves. Sadly, it’s not working for me visually. I find it far too literal, almost costume-y. On a positive note, I do like the silhouettes and there was the odd look that looked good.

Armani Privé, look 12

Armani Privé, look 27

Then there was Azzedine Alaïa’s first ever couture show. Very beautiful, very Alaïa but with new techniques and materials. The industry was excited beforehand and was not disappointed. He might also have scored a few points last week for being so outspoken and frank about certain issues in the industry. I absolutely admire that Alaïa seems to ignore the system to a great extent and let’s his talent and creativity speak for itself.

Azzedine Alaïa, look 23

Azzedine Alaïa, look 24

This was also the first couture season for Giambattista Valli. The Italian put out a ravishing collection that reminded me of his first few RTW collections. But in a good way! The drama was back and the feathers and I remembered why I was so taken with his work in the first place. The following look is not quite typical for the whole show but I loved it!

Giambattista Valli, look 18

To finish off, let’s see what couture routiniers Valentino and Elie Saab were up too. As always, Elie Saab was just made for the red carpet. In fact, the show looked like the best RC in the world! I loved the soft colours, the transparencies, the details. Valentino seems to have explored transparency as well this season and while the result is in places quite different to Elie Saab, it’s just as pretty and exciting.

Elie Saab, look 2

Elie Saab, look 36

Look at this amazing cut-out front! This I can see reappearing in RTW a few years from now. Also, velvet was a predominant material this season.

Valentino, look 18

Valentino, look 38