Couture Fall 2012 Roundup, Day 3

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Mary Lucas

Armani Prive

I’ll be honest, Armani is not really my thing. Yes, the clothes are beautiful, but they seem more suited to a women 20-30 years my senior. That being said, there were pieces I liked, the dusk prints and colors being one of them. The evening dresses are a little more my style than the suits, that is to say, if I had an occasion to wear those dresses to every night. I loved the beading, in particular on the headpieces, which were spectacular, in a nun-ish sort of way.

Givenchy

I know I might be hunted and burned at the stake for saying this, but I didn’t love Givenchy as much as I normally do. It seemed a bit heavy, though I guess that is appropriate for the winter in…the native americas? That’s what the fur and red coat would be perfect for, at least. Givenchy always seems so light, despite the pounds of beading I’m sure are on it, and even if the fabric is a darker color. This Givenchy seemed heavier, not as sort of sicily beautiful, though still gorgeous, of course. When one imagines the amount of houses spent stringing every last bead onto that ombre shirt, it’s a little dizzying. The sheer amount of work in inspiring and a little painful, but makes the clothes that much better, right?

Jean Paul Gaultier

JPG is never pretty, rather, it is always cool, edgy, and a little avant grade. Menswear is always an influence, and this season it was boxier but still fluid. The only couture show to show mens, the collection was full of black with a little more color in the middle, exotic skins, and other luxe materials like velvet and fur. There was some influence from the 20’s around the middle, complete with beading and fringe.

I must ask myself, though, why we need a dress covering every area of the body but the boobs? Why do we need just one piece with yellow fur, bring it on. Why do we need men in skirts and capes and sheer pants? Why turbans? Why no more corsets (apart from a few)? Why so much pouting from Lindsey and fierceness from Karlie? Why indeed.

Couture Fall 2012 Roundup, Day 2

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Mary Lucas

Christian Dior

Well, really now, what is there left to say? Everyone else in the Fashion World has pretty much covered it. I found it to be magnificent, truly splendid. The clothes could not be farther from Galliano’s version of Dior- there were no grand flower ball gowns, there were no over the top theatrics. But what there was was beautiful tailoring, silhouettes that looked back to Dior’s New Look, and the definite Raf Simmons presence. He is taking Dior in a whole new direction, but a modern and beautiful one.

LOVE the dye!

Giambattista Valli

Giambattista Valli may be the only person in existence who can mix red and green without conjuring up even the slightest notion of Christmastime. In his biggest and best foray into prints (read: florals) Valli excelled. His collection, inspired by fairies in dreamy woodlands was gorgeous, modern, and romantic, without being stuffy. A magical job indeed.

Chanel

I think the Chanel show was fine. I normally have and rave and rave and rave to anyone who will listen about Chanel Couture, Chanel Shoes, Chanel Bags, Karl and his cat, any Chanel thing, really. But I didn’t rave this time (about the couture. I still talk about the shoes, the nail polish, the tweed, etc.) I liked everything in the show, as I always do, but I wasn’t really blown away, and I also usually am. I did, however, love the fuchsia tweed suit, I am a sucker for Pink, any shade. I also loved the long, lean silhouette created by both drapey pants, long skirts, and longer jackets. I also liked the nubby knits, the soft color pallet, and the patch-work-like tweed. I could have done without some of the sequins, and definitely the silver tights.

Couture Fall 2012 Roundup, Day 1

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Mary Lucas

As I have said before, I don’t do a lot of fashion-show-reviewing, but Couture time is my favorite time of the year, and I like to share it, so here we go. I only have a few favorites (or examples, in the case of Alexis Mabille), but to see more head on over to Style.com where al the photos are from anyways.

Versace

Versace is Versace, and while exciting, has never really been my style. There are pieces I love, but for the most part, I like my sequins and metallics a little more toned down (is that even possible? I think yes.) It was a Versace show, through and through, and the exorbitant amount of sequins and beading and embellishments that one usually sees at Couture week actually fits in at Versace. It doesn’t look too over the top, because it’s Versace, and isn’t Versace always a little over the top in some way?

Christophe Josse

Christophe Josse is getting stronger and stronger. His collection, a small one with a limited color palette, was nonetheless beautiful. Black separates, short and long dresses, with white, gray, and taupe pieces at the end made for a sophisticated and refined collection that was altogether simply lovely.

Photos via Vogue Italia

Alexis Mabille

It breaks my heart to tell you that Alexis Mabille’s show was struggling, to say the least, because I was really pulling for him for a while. After last season’s distracting headpoofs and lack of focus in silhouette and style (but not color, he did use every color in the rainbow, which is a cool scheme) and the seasons before that inconsistency in, again, silhouettes and style, I’m just not so sure about Mabille anymore. Which is sad, but true.

I stubbled to find one piece I liked in his show, many were either too metallic/foil like (I’m not going for a mud wrap, thank you) too kimono-y, too cape-y, too sheer, too lace-and-velvety, too bow-y, had too many weird greek-like-curl-ouf-embellishments (I don’t want to look like one of the muses from Hercules, thank you), or too, did I get everything? I think I got it all. And let’s be clear, greek poufs and kimonos and lace and foil don’t really all go together.

I settles on the navy blue long sleeved sequin gown, because I do love my sequins, when done well. While this is a lot of sequins, it seems less like a sequined dress and more like a glorious, sparkling, midnight like gown. Though I don’t really want the bow. Or the hair.

Are we a present?

Sorry, what?

Bouchra Jarrar

You know, I love couture. I love the glitz, the glm, the sequins and the beads. But I admire when a woman can do a couture show with smart, gorgeous separates, and not a beaded gown in sight. Bouchra Jarrar has done a magnificent job of taking couture and making it wearable, but just as lovely. Jarrar sent out stunning pieces in a limited, neutral color palette, some with more volume, some with a more streamlined silhouette, but all stunning.