2008 fall couture

Some more daring designers have flirted with the cocoon silhouette, and still-fresh-on-her-thrown Valentino designer Alessandra Facchinetti is having a full-fledged love affair. The house's latest couture collection is characterized by elegance and maturity. You'll find no masculine undertones here. Instead, feast your eyes on lush fabrics like satin and chiffon, and feminine details such as sequins, ruffles, tucking, and pleating.

The cocoon shape made its way onto outerwear as well as dresses and skirt suits. But don't be mistaken; here, cocoon doesn't always equal unflattering. Black and ivory made appearances on the runway and jewel tones like blue, red, and green also livened the scene. The most memorable detail here — aside from the extensive, beautiful beading — is the accessories: gold chokers and spiraling bracelets that add a touch of whimsy to each outfit. Facchinetti is another step closer in keeping Mr. Valentino's keen taste for luxury alive.

To see more from Valentino's Couture collection, read more

Mythical goth drama emanated out the seams at Christian Lacroix's 2008 Fall couture showing. Through tons of noir and lace, I was spellbound with how the designer captured the essence of insect beauty and turned it into a magnificent collection of wearable art.

Models walked down the bright red runway morphing from simple, cocoon-like structures into free form gowns. Lacroix showed his skills turning heavy felts, wools, silks, and jersey into structured tops with major shoulder detailing. The dresses and skirts went from layered and flouncy to short and constructed. While Lacroix dabbled with different silhouettes, exact detailing was a constant. The use of heavy lace and intricate embroidery with insect-like creatures sitting upon shoulders of tiered gowns and structured jackets was nothing short of rich and decadent.

The occasional pops of jewel-toned colors were a delight and also bright stints of neon yellow. Leave it to Lacroix to show a little bit of everything in his latest couture.

To see more from the 2008 Fall Lacroix couture show, read more

If Ursula from The Little Mermaid had a closet, many pieces from Jean Paul Gaultier's 2008 Fall Couture collection would hang in it. First thing you notice when dissecting this line is the intricate details such as piping that can be mistaken for octopus legs.
The bright colors — cobalt, neon yellow, orange, green — take center stage and up the drama factor. Protruding feathers on several dresses also stand out. Fur, leather, and satin play a key role. Leather gloves with neon piping are badass while fur collars are sophisticated. While most pieces are creature-like, some give a nod to the equestrian theme. I can't say that any of the pieces are translatable to real life but they sure electrocute the runway!

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Can I steal Mr. Armani and bring him home as my personal dressmaker? Once again, the man has worked his magic and the result is an exquisite, finely tailored couture collection that flawlessly blends menswear with femininity. For me, this fusion never gets old. I presume muse Cate Blanchett will look beautiful in all of these designs.

To highlight the more masculine, Armani's high-waisted trousers sheen gives them a dressed up feel. Velvet pants, blazers, suspenders, and oversized, Alber Elbaz-style bow ties are also in this bunch. On the other end, femininity oozes from this collection via flowy chiffon dresses, sequins, and bows. I can see this collection seamlessly melding into the scenery of The Beautiful Fall, set in 1970s Paris. It calls for a sophisticated, empowered woman, not afraid to wear the pants.

To see more from Giorgio Armani's Fall couture collection, read more

The season's couture shows started yesterday in Paris, and like last year, lots of gorgeous women headed to the city of lights to take in the beautiful sights. Liv Tyler, Janet Jackson, and Eva Mendes chose between the Christian Lacroix, Givenchy, Chanel and Armani shows, as did fashion insiders like Anna Wintour and Claudia Schiffer. Liv and Eva joined up again last night to let off some steam at the Blue Soirée, a party hosted in honor of Lanvin's collaboration with Acne jeans. The ladies looked just as lovely as the clothes they wore — and make sure to check out all of Fab's coverage of the runway shows!

To see more from the shows and the parties just read more

Karl Lagerfeld has psychic powers. He is a designer who perfectly balances the history of a house with the future of fashion . . . how does he do it? Yet again, he delivered the upper echelon of fashion what they want: modern tweeds, luxurious evening pieces, smart frocks, and delectable finishes. While models curved the runway in Anna Wintour-esque bobs, they stunned in the typical icey Chanel palette of black, white, and grey, with splashes of pink and beige. Fur trims and flashy buttons surely raced a few heartbeats; beading and feathers most likely induced style salivation.

I can do without some of the volume play — especially around the sensitive hip area. True, the women who actually wear couture maintain their figures (otherwise they have to pay full price for a garment), but who wants their hips to be accentuated? Shoulder love is another story. The fluffy knits showed volume restraint and were scrumptious. The boxy coats were too '80s for my taste. Some gowns were lavish, especially those decidedly disheveled with shredded fabric, and some were simply over-the-top. And, the frame-like headpieces supplied that extra dose of the Lagerfeld we all know and worship.

To see more pictures from the 2008 Fall Chanel couture show, read more

The couture shows have begun in Paris. Now that we've seen the relaxed resort collections, I'm ready for drama, drama, and more drama. John Galliano's theatrics touched every aspect of his production: the clothes, the shoes, the makeup, the models, the celebrities. While last year brought bright, bold hues such as red, purple, and fuchsia, this year's palette was rather tame in comparison.
Pastel pinks, greens, yellows, and lilacs made their way onto ever-dramatic silhouettes. Origami shapes, crochet, ruffles, tulle, pleats, chiffon, and sequins are all part of this year's outstanding couture cast. While the colors are subdued, the footwear is anything but. Feminine clothes are contrasted by dangerous caged platforms with metallic triangle heels. Another fitting accessory is a '20s-style cloche hat in leopard, leather, and studs. As well, protruding corset belts have taken on new meanings. Be mistaken not; this collection may utilize pastels, but it's not fit for the chipper Church-goer. Nay.

To see more magnificent Dior couture, read more