The unquestionable master of fashion was the first one to show this morning, and Karl Lagerfeld did not disappoint with this new Chanel Collection. Check prints in tones of grey, black and white on large coats and skirts started the collection and were then replaced by classier knot-dresses inspired by the 20’s French style, before much more modern looks were seen on the catwalk, featuring urban, almost sportswear lines in innovative materials: a new direction in the brand’s history.
Stephane Rolland then showed a collection very proper to his style: white, mauve, caramel and burgundy fitted dresses from which a fluid train would fall over the catwalk of the Cite de L’Architecture of Paris. This year the main change was the combination of two different textures and colors on the same looks, a bit like you would go from a vanilla ice cream to a vanilla and chocolate one. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian had the pleasure to attend the show and even if they arrived late, they could admire the last and most impressive outfit: the wedding dress with its many meters long train and its sleeves covered with silicone white slices.
Giorgio Armani took us to the beach and asked us to sit down and relax while the sun was going away. The prints he designed (which were very similar to the ones on Dior’s dresses; could that be a new trend?) featured horizontal lines on very structured floor length dresses that often left uncovered the shoulders. The designer had the amazing idea to make two models walk the catwalk at the same time when he wanted to propose the same outfit in different colors, and that was the case with incredible cotton jumpsuits, deconstructed tops as well as evening dresses, in tones of deep blue, mauve, and magenta. Pants were worn large and made of black velvet: chic archetypal.
When you talk about eye-catching elegance, the first designer who comes to your mind is Alexandre Vauthier, and once again with his collection, he showed he knew how to make a couture dress the center of all attentions. White was the base required for elegance, and gold what was needed to ass some excitement to the collection. And the recipe worked: fitted jumpsuits, cocktail dresses and fur coats, all of which worn with golden accessories: shoes, belts and oversized necklaces, as well as golden aluminum looking pants and tailored suits.
Trying out one of Julien Fournie’s dress must feel like putting on a wetsuit before going for a snorkeling excursion. The neoprene dresses he presented were so creative it was barely possible to imagine them really worn. But after all, Couture is also here for that: experiment, and what could be more imaginative than replacing hems by colorful zippers and use plastic in a flesh tone to design a sexy dress? Really, it’s amazing what designers always succeed at coming up with!
©2012 The Los Angeles Fashion magazine
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