Runway Hippie » paris fashion week

Haute Couture Fall 2010

Sonia — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:48:14 +0000

As much as I love ready-to-wear fashion week(s), there’s something about couture shows that have me giddy with excitement each season. Having grown up watching old Hollywood films like Sabrina, Gigi, and Swing Time, I have always been drawn to glamorous and extravagant clothing. I can’t even begin to explain how upsetting it is to hear people say that couture is on its way out. So much of our lives are filled with informal and mundane activities, that a little couture and glamor once or twice a year should be highly commended, not pushed off of the fashion radar! But, regardless of my opinion the fate of couture does not lie in my hands, so we had best appreciate it while it’s still around.

This years fall/winter 2010 couture shows were like a glimpse into a recession-less life. Between the giant lion in the entryway at Chanel to to the floral theme at Dior, each show was as over-the-top and exaggerated as haute couture should be. Elie Saab, as per usual, was definitely my favorite out of all the shows, but I also loved Christian Dior, Chanel and Givenchy. Here are some of my favorite looks from this season’s shows:

photos via style.com & coutorture

Spring 2010: DRIES VAN NOTEN

Sonia — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:27:42 +0000

Dries Van Noten is one of my favorite designers because you can always expect to see something colorful and different than anything else you have seen in the season. This years collection was all about mismatching a variety of prints from different countries. Van Noten stuck with an earthy palette, pulling prints from Uzbekistan to South Asia.

Stiff square jackets were juxtaposed against beautifully wraped and draped skirts. Silky shirts and trousers looked European chic, but also looked comfortable enough to wear on a 10 hour plane ride.

What I love most about Dries Van Noten is his understanding of patterns and color. He has an eye for being able to put the most intricately detailed patterns together and making the match look seamless. A lot of times, too much pattern can look like a Pollock gone wrong, but Van Noten knows how to put together prints that create a beautiful silhouette.

Dries Van Noten

Spring 2010: EMANUEL UNGARO

Sonia — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:09:00 +0000

Emanuel Ungaro’s collaboration with Lindsay Lohan was pretty cheese and girly. Pepto bismol pinks, electric blues and kelly greens were all adorned with a heart motif that seemed best suited for Paris Hilton, not fashion guru’s that sit front row at YSL. That being said, there were some very nice silhouettes: short dresses that demand a stellar pair of stems, and some fitted blazers. However, all the clothes were at a fine line between classy and trashy…and the little heart pasties certainly didn’t help.

There are definitely some pieces in this collection that I would want in my closet, but as a whole, it was nothing we haven’t seen before. A lot of sites really ragged on Lindsay for this collection, saying that she should rebirth her acting career, and I have to say that I disagree. For her first “real” collection, this is pretty impressive. I think we can expect to see her designs and ideas blossom into something quite lovely if she’s given the opportunity to do so.

Emanuel Ungaro

Spring 2010: KARL LAGERFELD

Sonia — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:27:55 +0000

Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to create some of the most stunning clothing we have seen this season. Sticking to his personal wardrobe, the collection was mostly black and white, with a few bits of corally oranges. The clothing was beautifully crafted and sculpted; from soft folds and drapes to angular shoulders and collars, Lagerfeld has an understanding of his expensive and luscious fabric. The strength and prominence of the jackets and vests were softened by the high waisted flared/pleated shorts. Unlike the other shorts we have seen this season, Lagerfeld’s shorts were rounder, designed for a woman with some hips and a waist. Towards the end of the collection, actual metal was incorporated into the designs. Yet, it did not feel heavy (as metal normally does), instead it added dazzling detail and light framework to a basic silhouette.

It seems that Lagerfeld was inspired by the “rockstar”. Little details of electric guitars and guitar playing Lagerfelds were added onto sunglasses and bags. It’s almost as if the actual design of the clothing was sculpted to look like certain areas of a guitar. Oh, Lagerfeld…you are my guitar hero.

this onesie is made out of leather. SWOON!

Karl Lagerfeld

Spring 2010 – COMME DES GARCONS

Sonia — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:39:20 +0000

You can always count on a Comme des Garcons collection to be entirely different from what other designers are creating. This season, the collection was full of scraps of fabric crafted together making everything very structural. What really stood out as a theme in this collection was the idea of layering unexpected pieces together. Soft flowing dresses were contrasted with leather harnesses. Basic cotton leggings were balanced by shiny spandex biker shorts. The looks felt a bit heavy for spring (and even more so for summer), but once the pieces are separated they will add depth to what can otherwise be a very boring outfit.

ALBER ELBAZ

Sonia — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:39:25 +0000

There is no better way to describe these designs other than JAW DROPPINGLY BEAUTIFUL.

Spring 2010: ISSEY MIYAKE

Sonia — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:34:25 +0000

Issey Miyake’s spring/summer 2010 collection was a melting pot of different cultural looks from around the world. A wide range of prints and woven pieces gave off a very bohemian/free spirited vibe in this collection. Colorful, draped silhouettes were framed with fitted vests and jackets. Rothko-esque prints were juxtaposed against swirling watercolor-like silks. The designs were not groundbreaking, but they were beautifully crafted and moved gracefully on the runway.

Issey Miyake

Spring 2010: NINA RICCI

Sonia — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:32:38 +0000

The pressure was on at Nina Ricci as Peter Copping made his runway debut. Copping created light, girly silhouettes that looked delicate to the touch. Soft pink and purple silhouettes were adorned with layers of lace and ruffles and floral bras peeked through sheer tops paired with silk skirts. What surprised me about this collection is just how delicate the clothing was. In the past Nina Ricci’s collections have been quite strong and the colors have been much richer, whereas this collection was soft and fairy like. Copping’s strength is certainly in his detailing. Each look had intricate detailing that took the collection from being frou frou girly to stunningly lavish and elegant.

Nina Ricci

Spring 2010: RICK OWENS

Sonia — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:20:17 +0000

Rick Owens kept to his monochromatic colors this season, but the collection did not feel dark and gloomy like it has in the past. His clothes were edgy and aerodynamic but the fabric had a lightness to it that kept the collection from feeling overly heavy. There was a lot of diversity in Owens’ designs this season. Short Judy Jetson dresses were contrasted against long, graceful silhouettes. While there was not a lot of ornamentation on the clothes, aside from some feather detailings, the collection was incredibly structured and architectural which is always nice to see. Owens really knows how to work with and manipulate the fabric and thus continues to create beautiful collections season after season.

Rick Owens

Spring 2010: BALMAIN

Sonia — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:59:11 +0000

Balmain’s s/s 2010 military theme went in a different direction than his last military-inspired collection. Last season Christophe Decarnin gave us glitz and glamour, while this season his designs seem to be built for the battlefield. There were still the Balmain trademarks, exaggerated soldiers, military jackets, and body grazing silhouettes, but the mood of the collection was quite different from what we’ve seen in the past.

Heroines like Joan of Arc came to mind with his golden armored dresses embellished with thick rustic belts; while soldiers from the French Revolution seemed to be ever present with the ripped decaying shirts and dresses. The collection felt contradictory; it was lavish but also rustic, the looks were sexy but at times intentionally messy, and yet somehow every look was necessary and made the collection complete.

Balmain