Couture FlowersToday at 2:30 PM Paris time, the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010 show at the Musee Rodin in Paris took place. Recently metaled as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor... Designer John Galliano, showed a stunning collection--loved by critics Cathy Horyn and Suzy Menkes alike--inspired by Dior's 1953 Spring/Summer "Tulip" Collection, famous for its 3-D effect embroidery, exquisite bright colors, and of course, those iconic full ball gowns."May" silk organza with green-and-purple silk-floss embroidery evening gown, Dior 1953 Spring/Summer
The Fall/Winter 2010 Haute Couture Collection was an explosion of vivid colors, blooming voluminous shapes, grand ball gowns, hand-painted watercolor prints, ruffles, tulle and stiff duchesse satins galore! Take a look:Water every other day: One shoulder ballgown with full black netting skirt and iridescent silk petal drapes, Dior F/W Haute Couture 2010 J'ai Froid: Cobalt-blue cocoon coat with "torn-ruffle" neckline, Dior F/W Haute Couture 2010 Making an Entrance: Cerulean-blue, pink and ivory colored ball gown, Dior F/W Haute Couture 2010
If this is Fall, then bring on the snow kiddies! Maybe Fall in Dubai and Bahrain possibly, where a lot of his exclusive Couture clients probably come from. The details were also extravagant, my favorite being the bulb-shaped upturned hairdos wrapped in neon-colored cellophane. The effect was incredible, as seen from these photos; the head was wrapped like the stems of a bouquet with the dress serving as the incredibly colorful floral arrangement! Suitings were decisively more Fall-like in their fabrications... Such as the angora tailleur above and below. They enveloped the models like comfy cardigan sweaters but were fitted and interfaced to a 1/4" of their size 2 figures.To be honest, I liked the suitings and cocktail dresses more than those almost-too exaggerated ball gowns (I know, what part of Galliano don't you understand!). They were grand for sure, but lost in them was the elegant draped delicacy that Christian Dior's original ball gowns had.
The New Heel: Lower and less chunky ladies. Put those platform pumps in the closet and time to get closer to the Rue de Rivoli pavement! Out: Thicker bolder heels that have become the most coveted styles in the past few seasons have now been replaced by.... In: Strappy , more feminine, less chunky heels
Click Below for a Behind-The-Scenes, audience member video of the Runway Show (the fashion show begins at 2:50):
Fashion Shows and More Fashion Shows...During this most recent Fall/Winter 2010 Paris Fashion Week, we saw lots of Layering (quelle surprise), tailored suiting and coats(Viktor & Rolf above), lots of folkloric accents (Dior) and...ethno-influences (GallianoRussian Mongolian Princess above). There was also... Liquid bias cut Hollywood Glamour/1930's gowns (Gallianoabove) and a continued mood for off-kilter draping usingMetallics and soft liquid fabrics such as wool jerseys (Lanvin above) or...Stiffer Wool fabrications (Lanvin above). And then there was the dynamic duo of Viktor & Rolf. Using 90's Supermodel Kristen McMenamy as their "Head Mistress", they decided to pay a sort of homage to their decade old "Babushka Couture Collection" and bring McMenamy onto the runway wearing practically the entire collection and then peeling each piece off her and adding it to the corresponding models. See for yourself in the Viktor & Rolf Fall 2010 Fashion Show. And enjoy the other runway videos I have included as well...
Viktor & Rolf Fall/Winter 2010/11 Runway Show--Part 1:
Viktor & Rolf Fall/Winter 2010/11--Part 2:
Click Below for the John Galliano Fall/Winter 2010/11 Runway Show:
Click Below for the Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2010/11--Part 1:
Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2010/11 Part 2:
Lanvin by Albert Elbaz Fall/Winter 2010/11 Edited Video:
French Actress Marion Cotillard is the new face of Christian Dior. So, in other words, there's no chance you will see her in a designer/brand other than Dior--at least for MAJAH red carpet events. It's in her MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR contract to wear nothing else kiddies.
For the 2010 Golden Globe Awards, Marion wore a deep hunter-green silk one-shoulder gown with a high side-slit featuring a peek-a-boo lace underslip from Christian Dior Spring 2010 by John Galliano. Nothing really changed that much from Runway to the Red Carpet as you can see above, except for the length of that slip...
Cleopatra Meets Tutankhamen Couture: Spring/Summer 2004
Christian Dior Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2007 Part 1:
