Couture Fashion Week: Wednesday

The final day in Paris and there were two designers who really stood out to me. Of course there was Valentino, because I pretty much worship anything Valentino do these days and again, it was very similiar to the ready to wear with the lace/vintage-esque theme. It was like a modern day Mary Antoinette and very classic. Usually classic isn't my thing but Valentino make you want everything they produce.

My favourite however was surprisingly Elie Saab. Their last collection RTW I thought was okay, but a bit too bright coloured for me. This one was very similiar to Valentinos but I guess there was just something about it I liked a little more. A crazy amount of work went into every single piece in this collection you can really tell.

Well, NYC Fashion week starts on the 9th Feb and hence soon to come another four solid weeks of catwalk blogging !

Couture Fashion Week: Tuesday

I don't think Karl Lagerfeld can do anything wrong when it comes to clothing. How the hell he does it all I don't know either. Not only is he heading up Chanel and Vuitton, but he still has time to bring out his own line too? Crazy! And in Paris yesterday, he presented his spectacular couture collection.

There first few looks were very typical Chanel shapes and fabrics with their little twists but my favourites came towards the end when there was a large focus on embellishments and Lagerfeld really knows how to embellish a garment perfectly.

Givenchy was also very impressive yesterday. They went for a kind of gothic glam theme which was unusual but presented some really interesting pieces

In particular, the effects on the backs of jackets were a great technique as you can see in the second image. Creating unique shapes and textures was also key to  this collection.

There was also the Armani Prive collection presented yesterday. It wasn't my favourite of the day but I liked the pieces that used bold prints. There was an exotic kind of Amazonian rainforest glam thing going on with the printed gowns with a lot of attention to structure.

Couture Fashion Week: Monday

When it comes to couture, those who don't appreciate fashion as much ask what is the point and think that it is more a charade than actual fashion. Once upon a time, couture was a huge industry but now it is reserved for celebrities and the elite only. What couture shows do though are bring us something mesmerizing. They bring us something that we love to view because it's aesthetically fantastical. It takes us back to every girls secret dream of being some kind of princess and having a wardrobe full of gowns and beautiful garments. However, from a design perspective, it is not all about the dream. Couture lets designers introduce some of the most intricate handy work and new ways of construction which you can't see everyday because here is an exception.

And for me, there were two designers who stole the show yesterday.

Giambattista Valli creates my dream wardrobe. It is a lot of lace, in monchromatic colours with a sense of edginess to it. There are some absolutely stunning structures in this collection and the way sheers and lace are put together can be really appreciated. It is his own take on Hollywood glamour following on from the original SS12 shows but he does it in his own unique way.

The second designer I think was equally as great yesterday was of course Versace. Donatella  really pushed the boundaries here and gave us something really original. Using metal framework, she constructed gowns that were innovative but classy and really showed off what Versace can do. You really have to admire this collection in detail to understand the level of craftmanship and delicate designing that has gone into the garments.

Dior obviously delivered as always and yes, it was again very stunning. It was very Dior though and very expected. Thats not to say there is huge beauty and talent oozing from what was put down the runway.

Success !

You always feel this sense of success in fashion when something you have done is in store or recognised somewhere. I've had graphic tops in store before, but this time an actual dress I designed was in there at Republic. It is also on the website which is quite exciting ! This dress is for the Miso brand and was based on a design seen on the SS12 catwalks.

Not only this, but I picked up a copy of Company Magazine this week to find that a pair of shorts I designed for Crafted were in one of the style pages !

My shorts design are the denim hot pants with crucifix's on which say 'Republic £30'. So happy ! Company is one of my fave magazines too!

Like A Doll

Tim Walker is famous for his 'Doll' fashion shoots. Only a few posts ago I showed you his 'Mechanical Dolls' shoot. For Vogue Italia, January 2012, he was back again with 'Like a Doll'. This was a lot less 'gruesome' than the other and slightly different in its styling which was more the traditional takes on a dolls clothing. Whatever he does though, it is always effective and powerful and this shoot is no exception.

Lots of babydoll dresses and rain mac style sheen materials, lace and bold colour. Another impressive shoot from Mr Walker and another example of phenomenal styling with a nod towards the 1950s.