Valentino Haute Couture fall/winter 2009

So happy with this Valetino collection, designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli , which happen to be the house's former accessories designers are definitely taking Valentino in a totally new direction. Their past Haute Couture collection debut was quite stiff, and seemed to be just another renaissance of the house's past, nothing very innovative about it.
But for this collection of fall Couture, we saw a much bolder youthfulness, which really was part of what the founder wanted to get into with Valentino .
With what Piccoli called, A story of shadows, the collection featured leggy dresses and miniskirts
which came with ruffles, lace, in shades of blacks. Nude was also heavily seen, and looked amazing when paired with a few black numbers.
The headpieces with extravagant organza e volume some models wore were amazing.
I really love the new grounds Valentino is headed towards.
Although I must admit, it is quite awkward seeing a Valentino collection without a single hint of red.

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Giorgio Armani Privé Haute Couture fall/winter 2009

The black-and-white movie heroines inspired Giorgio Armani Privé collection this Haute Couture season was one of Armani's best collections for couture yet, it not the best.
The collection was the epitome of high class and sophistication. The show started with pantsuits, large buttons and decorated utility zippers were seen on the waist of jackets, cuffs, collars, and the middle of a skirt. Intricate detailing was proved with a vast number of beads, crystals, sequins, paillettes. The nude crystal-encrusted jumpsuits towards the finale were definitely breath-taking.
Models wore a black pob wig, which definitely looked spectacular on a lot of them, ahaha some should really consider the hairstyle.

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Elie Saab Haute Couture fall/winter 2009

The Elie Saab show in Paris consisted of 46 ethereal white looks, with gathering and appliqués that made models look as if they were floating in a cumulus cloud. The different hues of white included ivory, seashell, cream, and magnolia.
The collection was exquisite, romantic, fresh and perfectly executed.
Jumpsuits, 2 piece suits, feathered jackets were all seen parading down the runway.
Mini-skirts were worn bare or with white leggings, gowns were seen in a huge variety, such as strapless, asymmetrical, sleeved, one-sleeved, cut-out at the back, bejeweled, feathered, beaded, paillettes, embellished with rosettes, and tulle.
The bold shoulder trend that was very much present in the fall/winter 2009 collections is definitely still in play during this Couture season, Saab showed us padded, feathered, embellished and large shoulders on vast pieces.
The models looked very fresh faced, with clean make-up and a strip of pale blue in the middle of their faces.

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Givenchy Haute Couture fall/winter 2009

Riccardo Tisci took us very far from Paris for Givenchy this Couture season. Giving us a Middle Eastern influence mixed with a Northern Africa references.
Velvet coats and jackets, glittering harem pants, low-crotch trousers, spike-heeled shoe-boots, a high-necked pailetted gown, and chiffon hoods were seen throughout the show.
The silhouette was definitely worthy of a seductress.
I love how vampyric the whole collection is, the elegance, the aristocracy.
The velvet jacket with intricate details worn over a black flowing chiffon dress and the spike headpieces were out of this world!
Golden jewelery was seen hanging from necks, jackets and not to mention two models paraded down
the runway with even golden embellished details on their face.

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Christian Dior Haute Couture fall/winter 2009

For this Haute Couture fall 2009 season, we got taken back to the art of dressing down, or in John Galliano’s case for Christian Dior, the art of undressing as he proposed skirts that are so short, that the garter belt is showing
(or is the skirt actually a garter belt?).
This is because the designer took reference from behind-the-scenes documentary photographs taken more than half a century ago as Monsieur Dior dressed his cabine of mannequins for shows. In the 1950's this is how the clothes were traditionally presented to clients and the press.
Layers and layers of chiffon, skirts worn with bras, jackets with girdles, lacy French underwear, and ball gowns with longline corsets were all seen parading on the runway.
The collection was spectacular, impeccably executed.
Jackets were seen with jewel-encrusted sleeves, and belted.
Nude hues were heavily seen as well, on a number of things such as dresses, skirts, knickers, and shoes.
The hats were divine! The models as well were a sight to behold, the make-up looked out of this world!

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Paris Haute Couture Fall 2009 Fashion Week

Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2009 Fashion Week starts today! Seems it was just yesterday that we saw the Couture spring 09 collections! Can't wait to see Christian Dior, Givenchy, and Chanel!

Monday 6th July
Alexis Mabille
Christian Dior

Tuesday 7 July
Georges Chakra
Armani Privé
Zuhair Murad
Christian Lacroix
Givenchy
Basil Soda
Chanel

Wednesday 8th July
Elie Saab
Jean Paul Gaultier
Josep Font
Valentino

*photocredit:
redcarpet-fashionawards
*credit: www.style.com