The Spring 2011 Haute Couture shows kicked off today in Paris and some of my favorite designers showed their collections. Here are some of my favorite looks…
Alexis Mabille
The man known for his bows had only a few hints of his signatures in his spring collection. His collection was mostly white with hits of black, red and green. Many of his pieces had sheer panels or cut outs paired with Grecian, flowy gowns. With the exception of a few body con pieces, most of the items were a bit boxy. My two favorite pieces were pieces that didn’t feature the collection’s running theme…
Armani Privé
Two words came to mind when I looked at the Armani Privé collection: Space Cadets. It’s unfortunate because after seeing Anne Hathaway at the Golden Globes looking stunning in Armani Privé, I couldn’t wait to see the collection. The collection was full of shine and signature silly – errr, “unique” Armani headwear. 80s colors like teal and purple, along with the excessive shine and futuristic vibe also made me wonder if Armani was inspired by Tron or something. Whatever it was, I was not feeling it.
Christian Dior
I know that when I am going to look at a Christian Dior colelction, I’m going to see drama and glamour. John Galliano takes his inspiration and runs with it – there’s never any half-stepping with him. For Spring 2011, the Dior collection looked like a combination of original Barbie hair and makeup (1959) with the 1950s shape – including the New Look silhouette Christian Dior made famous (cinched waist and full skirt). The collection started out in rich greys, reds and black and then turned Easter Egg soft pastels with hints of greys and earthy browns.
Galliano seemed to be inspired by nature with feather and floral motifs running through the collection. Hats looked like they would take flight (some looked as if they were actually birds) and one dress even had birds on it. Continuing with the sheer trend so popular right now, the Dior collection was rife with it as sheer fabrics were layered over more opaque fabrics to create a textured look. The gowns are stunning – some as traditional billowing gowns and others as architectural feats. Either way, every time I look at these gowns I wonder why I never see them on the red carpet. Hollywood take note, wear some of these gowns to the Oscars!
