I realize I have not posted anything in a while due to various reasons (finishing college/putting on an end of year fashion show...footage and photos I hope to put up soon, as well as going Glastonbury and my laptop being lame and dying on me...bring on my Macbook!!!!) Seeing as A/W Couture was recently shown I thought I would share with you the designers who I thought were the best.
Givenchy
This is REAL couture. I had read earlier this week that Ricardo Tisci had chosen to present his couture collection which consisted of ten outfits in a small presentation and you can see why. The time and effort, the skill that has gone into this absolutely whimsical, breathtaking collection deserves people to take more time out to appreciate the level of skill and genius that has gone into it. First a sheer and lace dress which was heavily embroidered and from the knees downwards cascaded into feathers, The first four outfits I thought resembled skeletons. There were jackets made out of hair and fringing, Out came a gold lace dress with the most beautiful gold trophy jacket to match (Christopher Decarnin you might have killed it for Balmain with you’re A/W 09 denim jackets but you aint got shit on Givenchy right now.) The two gold dresses king of reminded me a little of the gold dress he designed and made for Lara Stones wedding. The last three outfits of the presentation were pure white and made out of sheer and lace. One outfit boasting a white corset, It looked like the most beautiful bridal wear. It is said that Tisci is to have based this collection on Artist Frida Kahlo whos work focused on religion and the female form.
Dior
This was everything you would expect from John Galliano. Over the top and lots of fun and glamour, full of garish colours and dramatic make up. With the plastic head dresses with outfits that looked like blossoming flowers made me think that the models were bouquets of flowers…yet turned upside down ( I probably am not making sense but that's what it looked like to me.) as for the hair it reminded me of the Who's out of the Grinch. I loved the experimentation with the volume with some of the skirts. The use of texture was good from soft romantic flowing fabrics to mohair and brightly coloured tweed and the use of feathers. I noticed dresses and little skirt suits with tiny nipped in waists which made me think Galliano has been honoring Dior's 1947 “New Look” (This then got me thinking maybe couture this season is all about going back to the houses roots with Lagerfeld taking more classic Chanel codes and putting them forward in his collection and Galliano’s use of the new look.) I also noticed the collection only consisted of skirt suits and dresses which made me think that this was a celebration of femininity and romance.
Chanel
Now when I first saw Lagerfelds A/W 2010 RTW collection I didn't necessarily get it. I thought it was more of a pantomime than a fashion show. I cant say I thoroughly enjoyed the designs the only thing that was impressive was the set, but Kaiser Karl has won me back with his breathtaking couture collection which I feel pays homage to his pre-dissestor Miss Gabrielle Chanel as I notices a few of the old Chanel codes being used in the collection such as a lions head (being that Chanel was a Leo.) as well as using her favorite flower the camellia. I loved how toned down this couture collection is compared to his summer and spring (which I do love.) I feel that this collection is a lot more humble than his previous couture collection and his A/W RTW which was just masses of fur, I also feel the silhouette is the main focus throughout this collection with many variations of Chanel's infamous skirt suit. Most of them finishing calf length or just above the knee. I love the use of different textures varying from tweed, brocade and small doses of fur. It then moved on to dresses which showed skills of a true artisan as one dress was completely covered in pearls. The embroidery was stunning as dresses and skirt suits were drowned in sequins in rich colours of scarlet red and midnight blues giving a decedent feel. The show closed humorously with two models one being his muse Baptiste Giabiconi donning a Lions head. A spectacular collection with every outfit and accessories to die for. My only question being why on earth did his darling Freja Beha Erichsen not open or close the show?!
