Paris Haute Couture 2008-2009

I am late on this, I know. But I finally got around to writing up my runway reviews for the Paris Fall 2008 Haute Couture. Keep in mind as you read, I am a far better critic then a constructive criticizer. So be prepared for some not so nice words. When you are paying big bucks, I think it gives you the right to be extremely picky.

Christian Lacroix
Lacroix was like going to a wedding and a funeral. The hair, the makeup, the fierce faces covered by black lace veils, I found the best description of the show which said, “An invitation to Lacroix's couture show is a ticket to witness a unique excursion into mind-bending color, multiple historical mergers, and elaborate detail piled upon elaborate detail.” - Sarah Mower, Style.com

This being true, those who attended got to witness one hell of an excursion.

Valentino
Some liked it, I didn’t. There were a lot of issues with sizing. Perhaps it was because half the girls were weighed down by the over embellished dresses. The fabric pulled and with all the details it was all a bit too heavy. No girl wants to wear a dress that makes them look like a bloated Christmas ordainment, and sadly, that’s what ½ the girls walking the runway looked like.
(which is amazing seeing that most of them weigh 100 lbs.)

Jean Paul Gaultier
Let’s just say, not my thing but it worked. And I’ll leave it at that.

Elie Saab
What comes to mind when I think couture is what Elie Saab sent down the runway. Fabulous gowns, yards and yards of fabric, long and luxurious, big and bold, all of which scream, “look at my awesome dress.”

Saab’s occasional wear dresses are definitly made for an extravagant occasion. If only I had some place to go that warranted wearing a dress so grand. And a pay check to afford it.

Givenchy
Simply stated, I liked this show. I guess you could say it was complete. Nothing crazy, nothing weird or wild, but the show was well-rounded, “solid” so to speak. The runway itself looked amazing. The girls walked through what appeared to be a leave and twig covered path, wearing grey draped dresses and stunning black lace (most of which I would love to wear).

Christian Dior
Turn back time to the 1950’s. The fun, flirty, and well fitted dresses sent down the runway were quiet beautiful. I personally liked the black and whites, pastel pink has never really been my thing. But all in all, the collection stood strong.

Chanel
Leave is to Lagerfeld to get it right. Hands down my favorite, no questions asked, with out a doubt. I would wear everything, well almost everything that walked that runway (if I had the money to buy it of course). You will never catch me in the puff-sleeve bright pink dress, but every thing else is fair game.

To be honest, I feel like the first rule of fashion design should be MAKE SURE YOUR CLOTHES FIT. Those over at Valentino should have taken those words into account, just as Lagerfeld did. Every single piece that came down the runway fit perfectly, hugging each models curves (as little as they were). The whole point to me is – I see it, it looks good, I want to look good, so I buy the clothing. When the clothes don’t fit, it doesn’t look good, and I don’t want to wear it. It’s a chain effect. Everything Lagerfeld sent down the runway fit; therefore, I want to wear it, all of it.

Armani Privé
One word comes to mind – slick. The collection made me think of old Hollywood glamour and perhaps what a women dating James Bond would wear to a cocktail party. The well tailored black and white suits, the masculine bow ties, and glittering dresses were stunning. None of the pieces were outrageously unseen before, but still desirable and beautiful.

Anne Valéria Hash
Not bad, not good. Nothing spectacular or stand out, but nothing awful either.

PS - ELLE Magazine online did a Style Scout with Isabel Marant. It's a short read and worth checking out. Read it here.