Couture week is one which needs no introduction.
For us poor mortals, it's the week we're glued to the Vogue coverage of shows we would sell our grannies to be able to attend, let alone purchase from. I pine, I pine... For my personal song of choice to listen to while watching these shows and crying, click
here. Also, swap in the word "money" for "couture" or "Valentino" or something of that nature and you'll get the full experience of my sentiments from this week.
I'm going to do a little bit of opinion on a couple of the shows which I particularly liked/loved/lusted after and a bit on this week's most talked about shows as well. Just so you know where I'm going with this and it doesn't seem like one endless ream of babble.
So, I think to start me off in a good mood for the rest of this post I go straight to
Giambattista Valli.
One of the couture world's newest recruits, Valli shows here why he was so ready to play with the big boys of the fashion world in this, his second ever couture show. The designs were assured, delicate and exquisitely executed. The show kicked off with subtle pieces and evolved to his more extravagant ones towards the end.
His lace work and tailoring are examples of his skills in this area and a definite show of why he deserves to be considered in the world of Haute Couture.
The shapes tended toward the 1950's, especially in the more day-wearable pieces. Waists were cinched in and pencil shirts hugged the models. As with Dior and Versace, 1950's style underwear was visable through deliacte lace panels and skirts.
This black Gothic gown is absolutely out of this world. It's like a cross between Morticia Adams and Jane Eyre with just a hint of 1950's goddess from the cheeky glimpse we get of under the lace skirt.
The clean separation between the white of this structured yet feminine jacket and the harshness of the croc-effect skirt is brilliant. Croc skin was also shown on the Versace Couture show (which, due to my dislike of that brand I won't be covering) and also in Henry Holland's R-T-W S/S12 collection. I'm getting a little whiff of a trend here I think?
It's the detailing on these pieces which really gets me. The black on white floral tea-dress is so sweet and seemingly demure because the top is so exquisite that you almost don't realise the skirt is completely see through, almost.
Valentino, I love you. I know you don't know me very well because I don't actually own any of your clothes, but I'm not just saying it. I love you, like seriously. I'm so smitten with this collection that I don't even know where to start. It's floral, it's sheer, it's demure, it's absolutely fucking gorgeous. Feminine as always, this is a house who know how to dress their girls. They look like the sort of clothes you's put on for five minutes on a rainy Monday morning in January and then all of a sudden you'd be in a sunny French garden walking among the wild flowers while someone handed out flower garlands...Yes, that is my full Valentino fantasy in all it's wonderfulness. And these dresses really do accentuate that fantasy to the max.
Beaut. I think the neckline and the sleeves are my favorite parts of this dress. The material is so light that it almost seems like the model isn't wearing anything at all so I think it was important to add the flowing skirt and covered up body, it balances out the piece nicely.
I'm sure this would look HORRENDOUS on everyone who wasn't a runway model, but in this context it's a stunner.
It's the lightness of touch that Valentino as a label seem to have that adds a sort of floaty elegance to the majority of their work I think. Why? Why can't I own one of these dresses?
For the interest of a blog post that has an eventual end, I'll keep my drooling over Givenchy to a minimum.
The textures were interesting and worked wonderfully with the classic cuts used. Also, that embellished neck brace is fierce. That's the only word for it.
An echo of the 1920's glamour with a dark feel, the collection had a serious amount of umph to it. It was classy to the end, yet always there was always an edgy feel to it.
Dior, Oh Dior why are you doing this to me?
Don't get me wrong, the show was...lovely. It just wasn't what it had been before the demise of the maestro, Galliano. There's no other way to say it, some of the fantasy and exuberance that he brought to the table, his vision, it just isn't there with Bill Gayton.
It was all very Mad Men once again at the Dior show.
Gayton said the inspriation of the collection was "Dior x-rayed", a motif which can be seen in details like exposed stitching lines and seemingly visible tailoring lines on some of the garments.
This red hounds-tooth skirt and top is probably one of my favourite pieces from the collection as a whole. But to be honest, it wouldn't look out of place on a R-T-W runway. Which for me is a big Couture no-no. These clothes are meant to be special. Which for me is the one thing these outfits are all lacking. A something special, that spark that seemed to leave with Galliano.
Poor Dior, What is to be done with you?
That's all the coveting my poor soul can take for now. My little heart is just breaking looking at all of these...
So I must leave you for now to attend to a life of scholarly drudgery, but a new special feature is coming soon called "The Good, The Badass and The Ugly" so look out for that one.
Go and attend to your lives as usual,
xoxo
