For Spring, couture clients have a plevee of color to choose from thanks to designs like Lacroix, Galliano and Valentino. This Spring, couture designer Anne Valérie Hash slips into her modern vision of couture. Hash opened the collection with a number of masculine pieces and looks. From the jackets and pants to the stretch leggings. Hash offered to her new clients a Windsor check and tweed jacket, which looks like it was take right out of Milan Fashion week two weeks ago.

Hashs' vision this season was to emphasize the tailoring of her collection and to create a relaxed look. She played with the masculine businessman look by putting a turtleneck sweater over a stripe men’s silk dress shirt. She also showed a silk bomber jackets with classic pencil skirts and stretch leggings. Overall the looks as well as the pieces looked unfinished.

Hashs' use of prints in the second section was a little overboard. Pairing floral prints, shadow prints, paisley and tie-dye together. I did however like the pale blue silk floral print gown, although Hash destroyed the look by pairing a line green halter-top under the dress. But my the winning piece in the collection as a whole is the dot print bubble dress, although we have seen the same dress several times during couture week.

Anne Valérie Hash is really lost in this collection; she built a collection of ready to wear looks done in couture fabrics. What is really interesting is the amounts of couture fabrics are far less than the use of simple ready to wear fabrics. I was scratching my head trying to understand what Madame Hash is trying to say other than disrespecting the nature of couture. Designers over a Banana Republic are thinking right about now “If this is couture, Hell we do that!”.

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Season after season Jean Paul Gaultier has drawn inspiration from all corners of the world. His talent truly lies in shaping a collection from these inspirations. At his Spring Couture collection Gaultier drew inspiration from a India to Madame Gres’s Grecian column dresses from the 30’s. In the opening of the collection Gaultier just jumped right into the spring season showing an off white chiffon skirt with layers of chiffon hemmed with ribbon. A look we saw at both Rochas and Balenciaga back October. Worn with a chiffon blouse with a dress shirt collar and ballooned sleeve. I think the look would have been perfect with out the navy blue blazer.

Gaultier’s color pallet was all over the place, from brown, pale and tech-no blue and white. From the opening section Gaultier started to loose focus showing a number of dresses or lack of dresses that drew inspiration from India. Rumors were a buzz after the show that the Indian pieces were going to be inspiration for Madonna’s costumes for her next world tour. If that’s the case, Gaultier got a real luke warm reception for the looks.

Gaultier built of the Indian inspiration and showed a number of dress and gowns in the rich red and green tones. The dresses and gowns looked Baroque with layers of tulle trimmed with beading and metallic laces. My first impression of these dresses was “Oh how very Versace!” Early Versace couture is certainly an inspiration for this collection!

From all the feminine gowns and dresses there were certainly good number of masculine pantsuits and evening suits. Of coarse in classic Gaultier shapes and in a dark pallet of blacks and browns. He mixed the pantsuits with more dresses, some very delicate and beautiful and some that were a little overboard. The chiffon bubble gown with a beaded bodice and pleated collar that was taller than the models hair.

Gaultier closed the collection with a number of gowns that didn’t fit together, from the white chiffon dress worn with white pants and chiffon shirt over the bodice. Just to much, Gaultier then closed the show with a modern Pierre Cardin gown fallowed a Madame Gres inspired column gown in burnt yellow.

The must have piece for the Gaultier client is the mauve chiffon halter-top gown with gold lace on the hem. A classic piece that is sexy and romantic. Another great look was the white crepe suit with a rust colored chiffon blouse with a long wavy collar. The blouse brings the suit alive.

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Lacroix spent too much time in the French countryside this season. In the opening section of his Spring Couture collection this week, Lacroix attempted to mix the French country patterns with a rich Spanish color palette. A perfect example was opening look of an orange and fuscia floral print dress. While the form of the dress was very modern and feminine, the fabric made it look overworked. Lacroix also showed French country floral prints on antique white satin. These pieces stood out and didn’t fit the look Lacroix was trying to build into this collection.

In the second section Lacroix started to show more classic Lacroix dresses and gowns. He used vibrant colors of reds, yellows and purples in floral prints and laces. This shocking pallet gave some energy to the collection. Lacroix mixed these prints with layers of black satin and covered with black lace. One gown particularly stood out in this section, the orange silk taffeta gown with black beading at the hem of skirt and around the bodice.

Orange is the it color for Lacroix spring collection. He combined the color into so many pieces. From the orange taffeta dresses to being covered in black lace. The combination of orange/white/black is such a classic Lacroix pallet. Lacroix presented a number of gowns that mixed bold colors like orange, purple and yellow and then mixing in his brightly colored floral print on while silk satin. Lacroix drew inspiration from Russian Czarina’s and Easter Parades. He also presented a number of young and pale looks. One of my favorites like the navy blue wool dress and jacket with silver lace trim on hem of the skirt and the back and bottom of the jacket.

The must have piece in this collection are the Easter basket weave dresses. The stand out dress was the dress worn by Lily Cole with floral embroidery on chiffon and the hot pink flowers adorning the bodice. The champagne color chiffon fabric was weaved with crystals applied at each joint to create a Easter basket look. A very feminine and angelic look for such a strong colored collection. There are certainly a number of red carpet options in this collection. Lacroix really nailed this collection as a whole; the abundance of color energized the editors. Bravo Monsieur Lacroix!

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Transcontinental Karl is making some real changes in his life and especially in his career. Late last year Lagerfeld showed his last collection in Paris for his namesake label. Karl and his design team moved across the Atlantic and next month they will host their first collection in New York City. In late November last year, Lagerfeld gave American media a taste or preview of his Fall/Winter collection at Chanel. This week Lagerfeld is back to the runways showing his couture collection for spring.

Karl Lagerfeld kept to the color pallet he presented last October for the Chanel ready to wear collection. A lot of black and white dresses and gowns with a little color in pale shades here and there. In first section of collection Lagerfeld showed a number of black and white dresses that were classic 60’s modern forms and classic Cardin silhouettes. The best accessories of this section are the two-tone leather gloves, which look like fingerless gloves or cuffs. I did not like the Go-Go boots in the first section.

The sign of a great couture collection is when you see 70-year-old couture clients rummaging in their purses for their digital cameras. Every other client had a camera in their hand – no need to jot down the look number or style……..it’s all about point, click and order! Karl played with each look, starting with a signature Chanel fabric and tailoring and then added his modern Karl twist. Like the classic Chanel tweed suits, Lagerfeld showed a number of skirt suits with a high colors of stiff chiffon and trimmed with lace.

The models look at Chanel is doll-like face with soft colored eyes and a nude lip. The hair on the models is pulled back and loosely pinned giving the models a clean but soft feminine look. The key to all the looks was the hair barrettes and accessories. The must have accessory from the couture collection are the Chanel cuffs shown with sequins, tulle and ribbon.

In the opening section Lagerfeld showed a number of standout tweed dresses and skirt suits. Adorned with sequins, tulle and ribbon cuffs. The stand out piece was a sleeveless pale pink dress with shredded fabric lining the shoulder trim. The only piece that was not a hit was the black and white dress with beaded black flowers and lace details.

In the second section Lagerfeld moved away from the modern cut Chanel dresses and jackets and focused on a very girly and romantic look. Showing a number of dresses and gowns with an abundance of ruffles, round shapes and more ruffles. The look has almost a Shirley Temple youthfulness and certainly is an inspiration. Which is rather ironic Lagerfeld went for this look when Shirley Temple Black will be receiving a lifetime achievement award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards this Sunday. It will be the first time she made a media appearance in almost 10 years.

Lagerfeld showed a number of chiffon dresses in white and pink with ruffles and piping covering the skirt and bodice. The standout look in this section is the pale peach chiffon dress with a bubble skirt and a matching tweed jacket. Karl tried to incorporate a couple modern pieces into this section, which was just to distracting. Like the white knit dress with a chain link design encircling the dress. Another dress that went to far in Shirley Temple section was the lace and sheer tulle dress with too too at the bottom of the skirt.

Lagerfeld continued to move away from the modern shapes that opened the collection to the doll-like and romantic Chanel looks. In the closing section Karl kept surprising the Chanel clients, their cameras were held up the entire close of the collection. First he showed a large number of lace dresses and kept to white pallet. The standout piece in the opening of the last section was the dress with a lace bodice and ostrich feathers cascading down from the waist of the dress.

Then Karl showed about ten wedding gowns, or evening gowns depending what color you order the dress. Antique white is such a strong color and Karl showed a strapless hourglass gown with cascading layers of shredded chiffon and tulle in antique white and off white. The gown looked like it pulled right out of the Chanel archives. I was not to impress with the fairy like wedding gowns with embroidered flowers.

The must have pieces of this collection is the sleek lace wedding gown with shredded chiffon layered down the bottom of the dress. Worn with a chiffon collar jacket and scalloped layers of chiffon for sleeves. The other must have piece is certainly the closing wedding gown worn by Lily Cole. A fairy like dress covered in lace and ostrich feathers. Worn with a sheer chiffon bias cut jacket trimmed in delicate lace. Overall Karl Lagerfeld showed a very feminine and doll-like collection. Bravo Monsieur Lagerfeld!

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Monsieur Valentino falls into Spring 2006 with three evident inspirations in this collection. First Valentino struggles to keep his old and new clients happy. The collection offers classic Valentino pieces and shapes in young and fresh color pallets of pale mauves, peach and pinks. From the soft color pallet he then focused on romantic fabrics of lace chiffon for adding feminine looks to the collection. The third inspiration Valentino certainly looked at the collection as Easter Parade, ladies who need to impress and celebrate the season.

In the opening section, Valentino and his design team focused on presenting modern and classic Valentino jackets with very feminine details of draped lapels and lace and ruffles on the cuff and lapels. A look we are seeing more and more this season. Although Valentino is striving to create a young look in this collection, he does tend to design for our Grandmothers at any chance he can. From the skirt suits the designer moved onto dresses for day. The form is light and flared with an emphasis on the details of the beading and embroideries. Low cut necks and knee length skirts. The must have piece in this section is certainly the silk velvet flower print dress in pale green. Very romantic and very feminine!

Valentino showed a number of dresses and gowns with layers of chiffon ruffle and lace. But then he showed a section of silk flower print dresses and gowns with beading. I found the gowns to be overworked and too simple. He also showed a number of taffeta gowns that look like 80’s cotillion gowns gone badly. In the evening gown section Valentino really began to pick up more momentum with the quality of his looks. Certainly a stand out piece in the collection is all the silk satin halter-tops gowns in pale mauve and peach.

Also in the evening section, Valentino showed a masterpiece of a pale mauve silk chiffon dress with velvet embroideries of polka dots woven into the fabrics. These couture fabrics are very rare in Paris and extremely expensive to produce. For the life of m At the close of the show, Valentino showed half a dozen wedding gowns. The gowns themselves did not fit the look the designer had created for the collection nor did they look like any of the Classic Valentino gowns we’ve seen in the past. Valentino used an abundance of lace and ruffles in the gown, which gave them a romantic look, but then he added lace panels along the side of the gowns, which made them too modern.

The masterpiece gown of the collection is the pale green halter-top silk satin gown with a pale lavender silk satin thick band around the hem of the gown and a lavender silk lace hem on the drape of the dress. A very clean gown and a very modern and feminine gown for Valentino! The only downside of this collection was the makeup look for the collection. Valentino created a very light, youthful and colorful collection. Then the models looked like they were corpses and not in the trendy vampy way we saw at Dior or McQueen. Bottom line is you will certainly see a number of Valentino’s couture gowns and dresses on the Oscar red carpet in early March. Bravo Monsieur Valentino!

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Anarchy, Revolution, Chaos, Rebellion, however you want to label the collection, John Galliano has taken the world today and thrown it in a couture blender and hit the chop button. The end result is a collection that is classic Galliano with romantic shapes and draping. Models appeared almost ghostly with a liking to actress Tilda Swinton and her character the Ice Queen in the recent movie Narnia.

Although the models may looked almost ice like or even Vampiric with ruby shaded eyes (another look we saw at McQueen.) The key look is not cold; rather it’s the burning sin of greed. Marked with revolution, by the tattooed 1789 on their bodies, the beginning of the French Revolution. A war, which will lead to devastation and death, the models tulle covered faces a symbol of hiding the pain. Imagery is very important to Galliano and although most critic will consider it un-wearable. The gowns and jackets are a vision of raw decadence.

Galliano opened the collection with a number of models draped in silk drakard and taffeta of white and blood red pallets. And black details and accessories on the hems and bodice. Slowly Galliano added a number of leather pieces, from knee high boots to satin and leather full-length gowns. These leather pieces melted into the blood red gowns and jackets. The two most breath taking leather pieces were the leather floor length gown that is cut on a bias in every direction imaginative with a a red taffeta bust and brown taffeta bodice. What makes these couture gowns unique is the beading of blood splatters or drippings hidden on the dress.

One striking piece was the beaded taffeta trench coat with tulle sleeves. This piece was so complicated I am not sure where to explain. The bodice and collar of the trench coat was crimson almost chocolate color taffeta, with beading of blood stains on one half and on the half was beaded with blood red tube beads covering the entire fabric. The sleeves were silk tulle in the same color – Galliano used the same taffeta on the cuff of the jacket. Most certainly this trench coat will be hot sell for the House of Dior.

Galliano continued the collection with his red pallet but shifted from the leather pieces and bias cut gowns to a romantic and Marie Antoinette look. The red tulle gown on Carmen Kass was romantic and a tribute to the Dior look. Then Galliano shifted back to leather, but showing modern piece. Like the diamond stitched red leather pants with corset lacing down the side of the pant leg. Very sexy and sophisticated! I really loved the red taffeta jacket shown with the pant, it toned down the edge of the pants with his romantic draping and black beading details.

The two masterpieces of this collection certainly show the possible routes or inspirations of the collection. I am breaking with everyone’s rendition of Galliano’s inspiration, I see the theme of anarchy and revolution but the inspiration is certainly upcoming Hollywood film “V for Vendetta” a film by the Wachowski brothers, who brought us the “Matrix” trilogy. The first masterpiece of the collection is hands down the opening piece, a red silk taffeta cape with a high collar and black embroidery and beading.

The second masterpiece look is actually the designer himself. John Galliano season after season looks to craft his vision for each collection into his personal look and appearance at the close of each show. This season the designer didn’t hit the runway in a matching red look, instead bowed to a black pallet and reinventing a warrior of the revolution. Almost a mercenary look whose inspiration or mentor is the legendary Zorro. Mixing black leather with black taffeta to create a strapey modern look. Bravo Monsieur Galliano!

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Giorgio Armani’s couture collection for Spring brings femininity into his signature sophisticate looks. Armani opened the collection with his classic evening suits. The emphasis of the evening suit is on the structure and decoration of the lapels, adding lace, layers and detailed beading. The tailoring of the jacket is a new look for the designer, veering away from the relaxed tailor look; Armani opted for a modern cut and form, a styling synonymous of Westwood and Mugler. The jacket that jumped out at me was the layers of ruffles on the lapel and on the sleeve cuff.

Armani took a leap with this being his 3rd couture collection, a big leap by out numbering his evening suits with dress and gowns. Finally Giorgio understands that the couture client needs dresses and gown more than a jacket or suit. Opening the evening gown section, Armani showed a clean and feminine silk chiffon gown in pale peach and pink. Very simple but it moved divinely down the runway. From the sweet color pallet of peaches and pinks, Armani added dark blue and silver pieces.

Couture is all about invention and designing for woman who wants to be adorned and needs perfection. This collection is proof that Armani really understands that the couture client wants beauty over function and individuality over trends. This is more evident in his evening gowns. Armani showed a midnight blue evening gown with a beaded bodice that looks like a starry night. I was not wild about the dark teal satin evening gown. I also did not like the silk gowns and dress with the silk screening of a ladybug print.

Although there seems to be no common look in the collection, overall Armani focused on couture client and created a collection of different looks and options. The unique pieces of the collection are certainly the mirrored tile jacket and the tweed skirt suits with ostrich feathers woven into the fabric. For spring Armani presented a number of light colored pieces but the black chiffon gown with tiers of ruffles and laces draping at the bottom of the dress and large lace ruffle around the shoulder. The must see accessory are the ribbon and feather hats (I did not like the mini Armani fez hat we’ve seen in Milan over the past 20 years) and the crystal beaded shawl.

Armani is a vision this season, the collection as whole has so many options and certainly a standout moment for the designer who made the jump to couture over a year ago. Armani managed to take his classic Armani striped suits and add couture details by redoing the lapels and cuff of the jackets. Bravo Monsieur Armani!

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