Valentino: Pierpaolo has done it again. This Couture collection had 74 looks and I’m obsessed with each look. It was all so Valentino. No does color like Pierpaolo, lots of reds, pinks, purples, blues among many. The skirts were elegant, the blazers were beautifully tailored and the gloves were a great addition. The earrings were extra-long, tasseled, chic, and dramatic. Gorgeous daywear featured neat layering and styling and a plethora of accessories. The sequined dresses were surprisingly subtle (a bright blue sequined gown). A plethora of colorful extravagant gowns lined up for the finale ended with Adut Akech in a Pink brilliant feathered gown. A magical collection indeed.
Chanel: This Chanel show was inspired by when Coco Chanel was sent to the convent of Aubazine, the inspiration was clear and put into work so beautiful. The collection had Chanel written all over it, it had a lot of tweeds, plaid and the white socks with black school girl shoes was a comforting addition. The colors were black and white with tweaks here and there, with each look along the same lines there was a defining factor which must have been a challenge with 62 looks. The skirts were long and the tailoring was relaxed but just stiff enough. Considering how modest and conventionally conservative this collection was, there was something rather spunky about it. Virginie clearly seems to be taking Chanel towards a new direction and this is the best representation of that yet.
Ronald Van Der Kemp: RVDK was a mix of retro and sexy; even though I liked almost all the looks but nothing stuck with me. It seemed last-minute and somewhat casual and even though I’m all here for Casual Couture this wasn’t it. The ideas behind looks didn’t really translate, the execution could have been better which is literally the actual clothes. Parts of the collection was upcycled and Upcycled Couture I something I Stan but the fabrics looked flimsy and undone. The opening look was quite hot, a black fishtail skirt-gown layered over a white underskirt while a leather harness covered the breasts of the model paired with a fabulous hat.
Givenchy: Givenchy was inspired form gardens and flowers this season and it was subtle but it was visible. Clare gets Givenchy. All of the 41 looks were wonderful. The all-white looks, the big belts, the bursts of colors it was all very dreamy. The looks featurring the huge hats were spectacular. The tulle gowns and the dramatic silhouettes, elegant skirts, and a black suit with a classic fishtail was so chic it was unreal. The finale was Kaia Gerber wearing a bridal-Esque white lace off-shoulder dress, it will be remembered for a long time. A marvelous collection overall and I wouldn’t expect nothing else from Clare.
Iris Van Herpen: Her collections are out of this world, How does she do it? She never ceases to amaze us. The collection was ‘ Sensory Seas’ and it was sheer enchantment. The collection was inspired by neuroscience and deep-sea organisms. With all of her signatures, this collection was Couture at its best with a seamless inclusion of technology. My favorite look was this pale purple-blueish gown that looked like water flowing and the last two looks were just sublime, the intricate details, movement of the dress and just the lasting impact it has on a person. I recommend watching a video of the show to actually understand the beauty of it. IVHis a genius and the collection was fascinating.
Schiaparelli: Daniel Roseberry dug into the Schiaparelli archives this collection. Some of the looks were beautiful and so nicely done like the suits and the all-black looks, the brown/beige looks and the white heavily embellished suit. My favorite was this nude embellished drees which sheer heavily embellished gloves a brilliant adaptation of the skeleton dress by Elsa Schiaparelli, It was beautiful. A brown dress was a version of the 1936 Etruscan dress. A bright blue dress with cloud-like ruffles covered in extravagant embellishments all over the dress extending to the model’s body. The crinoline life silhouettes were great but were cheapened by the rather juvenile colors. Roseberry seems to be moving in the right direction and let me tell you expectations are high.
Giambattista Valli: With Giambattista this time I either loved the looks or really couldn’t care of them. The feathered masks were dramatic and chic and so fun. The big yellow tulle dresses in the final looks were absolutely gorgeous though I can’t ignore the fact how much they reminded me of Rihanna’s iconic omelet dress for the Met Gala. l did like the all-white gowns but the floral prints were just not good. The standout looks was definitely the light pink tulle dress with white and yellow feathers paired with a yellow feathered mask. I did like some looks enough so forget the others so it works out I guess. Valli is all about extravagant tulle gowns and we got that, so its a win.
Christian Dior: If you know me you would know that I am not a Maria Grazia fan, I don’t understand her work even if I do like some pieces. This collection had a lot of gold, bronze, greys among many. I did like a few looks but that’s probably because with 77 looks it’s really difficult to hate all of them. Some of the gowns were nice and simple but they were ruined with belts obviously. There were some gold fringe looks which actually could have been really great but ended up looking undone and tacky (though the fringe itself looked beautiful). There were elements in looks which I liked, some had nice sleeves, some had a pretty color, some had a nice cut but it should not work like that for ‘Christian Dior Haute Couture’, it deserves better. All in all a typical MGC collection.
Viktor and Rolf : Viktor and Rolf were interesting, they used the patchwork technique surprisingly well in Haute Couture. It was a great use of a ton of fabric that lies around. the dresses gave a young and breezy feel. Inspired by Hally Hobbie the looks were cute and womanly and the perfect amount of sumptuous. The models were tattooed on the face which was highly reminiscent of Post Malone and added a more youthful appeal to the clothes. The prints individually were pretty and were composed pleasingly. The collection was rather unconventional and fun and I’m here for it.
Zuhair Murad: This collection was inspired by Ancient Egypt and certainly it had a lot of gold but it didn’t feel like a lot, the other colors like red, blue, black and white provided the color palate some stability. The looks were good and true to the brand, each look had Zuhair Murad written all over it and it will surely be appreciated by his clientele. The shiny and heavy and overly embellished looks were just existing but I didn’t really have something specific to complain about. I somehow like all the pretty princess-esy looks equally which is weird but there was this gold very Egyptian bodysuit which was quite interesting.
Rahul Mishra: New Delhi based designer presented his first Haute Couture collection in Paris and it was pure magic. It is definitely one of my favorite couture collections this season. The collection was inspired by the corals, underwater views, and flora in the Maldives, his last vacation destination. The looks were beautiful, all of them. The colors and details were sublime. The yellow was beautiful and the light blue gowns were spectacular. The landscapes printed were wonderful and the jewelry was exquisite.
Maison Margiela: First of all I am in love with the pink backdrop. The collection was upcycled and wonderful. I have been a Galllino fan for as long as I can remember and he never really fails to surprise(though they aren’t always pleasant surprises). The velvet looks with holes cut had my heart, it was presented in a variety of colors, styles and variation. There were trenches in a great range of colors; A noteworthy grey deconstructed trench was absolutely stunning. The final black looks were marvelous and the full Overall a strong coleection and I need to stop obsessing over it now.
Guo Pei: It was snowy and beautiful, Guo Pei’s inspiration for this collection was the Himalayas, It was so pure and soothing. She says the Himalayas for her is a mysterious, spiritual and holy place. The look featured traditional prints and colors, My favorite look was surely the all-white look that literally looked like snow and there was an off white huge coat, it was beautiful. Icy eyebrows added a nice touch and white fishnet stockings complimented well.
Armani: Armani had a lot of looks, the first half was mainly suits, trousers and blazers and the second half were some exquisite gowns. The dominant colors were mainly classic blacks, blues, and beautiful greens. The thing to notice is even with 78 looks how all the looks were so similar and still had a differentiating factor. The trousers were so delightfully done which will certainly do well commercially and the blazers too. The gowns were pretty, fancy, and not overdone. Though there wasn’t a standout look as such, but it truly was the perfect collection for the Armani clientele.
Elie Saab: Elie Saab this season felt like a richer toned-down version of Zuhair Murad. The colors were magnificent, the details were beautiful and the fabrics were so lush. The collection was inspired by an opulent Mexican castle and the looks were surely regal. The shades of pink, blue, and the lime gowns were mesmerizing. A red carpet favorite Zuhair Murad had a lovely collection this season. Not a fan of belts but they worked really well here and the complimenting scarfs werea great addition. The embellishments used to cinch the wait were quite beautiful.
Alexandre Vauthier: This collection had some mindblowing looks, my favorites were definitely the pinstripe suits in White (wore by Bella Hadid) and a gorgeous shimmery black one. The collection had quite a range , be it suits to sexy sequined dresses, tulle bustier colorful gowns, or the perfect pink fairy tale dress. The huge black feather headpiece was magnificent and the black and white animal print Esque dresses were surprisingly elegant. There were some potential red carpet looks as well especially a teal strapless satin gown and screams fancy date night or a shimmery asymmetrical dress.
Stéphane Rolland: A pure and elegant collection by Rolland, dominated by gorgeous white looks with a few looks in black, browns, and random pop of colors. The collection was just so clean and in place. All white looks were my favorite and the circle cutout necklines were so sexy yet classy. The blue gown’s color was magnificent. Overall a beautiful collection.
Antonio Grimaldi: A beautiful Grimaldi collection, the fabrics looked magical and the colors are so pleasing. The yellows were really pretty and there was his beautiful plum-ish shade that I loved.the use of feathers was subtle and effective. The silhouettes and the drapes were different but beautiful. Loved the simplistic elegance that the collection offered.
Alexis Mabille: Mabille had all structured and ethereal all-white looks with beautiful necklines and silhouettes, the feathered headpieces were lovely. Each look was clean and elegant and hot. The sheer final looks were so so free and intricate, some looks were more structured which somehow made every look very unique. The necklines and the smartly places cutouts were definitely the star of this collection. The show was opened by Dita Von Tesse in a black sequined tuxedo which was in solid contrast to the rest of the collection.
Pictures courtesy of Vogue Runway
Ayerhs Magazine 