Spring Couture 2011 - Valentino and Elie Saab

According to Pier Paolo (co-designer of Valentino) "If fashion is about today, then today it's time to go back to elegance."  One could not better define the recent Valentino and Elie Saab Couture collections.  Nothing but elegance, glamour and femininity!  The Valentino collection is delicate, with a little lace, sheer, floral, bows, pleats and ruffles.  Similar to that of Valentino, the Elie Saab collection experiments with different texture, organza, embellishments and tulle.       
Valentino

 

Elie Saab

Chanel and Dior Couture Spring 2011

Is it just me?  Or is this Couture Fashion Week, completely jaw dropping!!  The Fashion Gods have rained upon the Spring 2011 collections!  Models are gracing the runways in some of the most exquisite pieces... feminine and pretty, pastels, embellishments, bows, beading, ruffles and intriquite detailing.  And where to begin.. perhaps with a little Chanel and Dior?  This Chanel collection is one of my favourites.  Mr Lagerfeld, always manages to astonish audiences, but this time, he has sent me into a complete fashion frenzy!  The collection is pretty and delicate, the models surprisingly wore flats and I love his use of pastels.  Lagerfeld wanted the collection to be pretty and natural he "was sick of all those Eiffel Towers, sick of all those violent colours."   

 

When it comes to a Dior Couture collection.. expect the unexpected!  The master himself Mr Galliano created a gorgeous and elegant collection inspired by Dior's  'New Look' 1947 collection.  The collection originally symbolised a new era in feminiety with extravagant full skirts, gloves and small waistlines.

Haute Couture!

The weekend, a time of total inspiration for my blog from fashion to just general conversation. This post is inspired by a conversation I had with ‘someone’ over the weekend. He told me about his plans to attend a Haute Couture fashion themed party. Of course I thought it was the best theme ever, when we actually figured out the theme! Yes, not everyone knows the language of fashion, its meaning and well the pronunciation! (Yes I'm still laughing and his pronunciation was adorable!) Fortunately, I was there to lend a helping hand and so I thought it was time to give the low down on fashion jargon.

Fashion language… till this day I still learn new terms, from my styling class, to fashion journalism and even my visual merchandising class.  Except I thought I'd inform you on the three most important words in fashion language.  That's right, Haute Couture, Ready to Wear and Avant-Garde. All three terms derive from the runway.

HAUTE COUTURE

Haute Couture is French for high sewing or high dress making.  Haute Couture garments are those one off exclusive and extravagant pieces, normally only a vision for the general public.  They are worn on the runways and red carpets.  These pieces involve creative genius and allow designers to go above and beyond expressing different views!  They are of high standard, using only the highest quality materials and fabrics and normally involve a high level of detail.

Dior - This collection was unbelievable! And well anything with a bow is good in my books!

Chanel, Chanel, Chanel... Love, Love, Love!

Valentino

Elie Saab

READY TO WEAR

Ready to wear is pretty self explanatory.  It's the collections you can take straight from the runway and wear them day to day.  Ready to wear are those collections available to the public, mass produced and made in a variety of sizes.

Willow

Valentino

Burberry

Chanel

Alexis Mable

AVANT-GARDE

Avant-Garde... think extravagant and times it by 10! Avant-Garde collections are when fashion turns into pure art.  When designers push the limits and what is socially acceptable to express an opinion.  It's radical, creative, innovative and normally theatrical.  It's like nothing you have ever seen before!

Christian Siriano (From the Project Runway Avant-Garde challenge)