Spring 2012 Couture shows are here, which means another Fashion Month will soon be upon us! Sometimes it seems as though we have slowly found ourselves with a Fashion Year instead of seasons, but believe me, I am not complaining… The couture collections are always a huge treat—exquisite pieces to fawn over, sometimes outrageous, and always innovative—and this year is no disappointment (I imagine that the collections all make their way down the catwalk to my favorite Parisian songs).
Alexis Mabille had me at the first gigantic flower sitting atop the matching, fully painted face of the beautiful model. It reminded me of some of my favorite whimsical movies like Willy Wonka and Wizard of Oz, but in a good and haute couture kind of way.
Though the first thing to catch my eye, the flowers didn’t distract me from the beautiful pieces waltzing their way down the floor of the Shangri-La hotel. Among my favorites was the tangerine look with a corset, cutout blouse with sleeves that seemed to mimic the floral headpiece, and floor length skirt accessorized with tangerine and gold belt.
Although I undoubtedly enjoyed the floral bit at Alexis Mabille, for me Giambattista Valli took the cake (of course there are still a few days to go…). The collection offered embroidery, feathers, lace, bows, print, drapery, sequins and yes even puffs…everything I expect I’ll be seeing on the red carpets. I had a few favorites in this collection and all for entirely different reasons, but I really adored the polka dot dresses gathered on the side with the puff on the shoulder—it has a charm I really can’t explain.
“I call them my warrior women,” said Donatella Versace of her couture collection and I have to say that is exactly what she gave us. My first thoughts were “sexy space captains” okay so maybe not exactly “warrior women” but the movie Metropolis was a point of inspiration and one clearly seen by the lifted fabric appearing 3-D and gold metal shaped and fitted to the models’ curves.
Karlie Kloss opened the Christian Dior show in a very sheer white, floral embroider dress. The rest of the collection followed suit with splashes of red, sequins, and plum along the way. Gaytten’s intentions were clear, “It’s meant to be x-ray Dior, ” he told The Telegraph. “All the structure of iconic Dior, thanks to lots of fittings, but all of it see-through.”
By Kristianne Young
Photos: style.com
Sources: style.com & telegraph.co.uk
