Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012--Pics + Full Runway Video!

Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012--Pics + Full Runway Video!

Monastic COUTURE, Cape Heaven, Flower Brocade and Valentino Red...

Viva Red: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Intense, sensual, regal...buzzwords for the "new" Valentino courtesy of its designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. Ever since they were placed at the helm of the iconic Fashion House, they have tried to take its DNA of UBER feminine, flowery, ruffle-filled clothes for a Roman Lady (or her daughter) who Lunches on Caprese salad and limoncello (and worn by style icons such as Jackie O and Elizabeth Taylor) to a more educated romantic, slightly Gothic Girl. In the last few seasons, one can see where these two designers want to take the House of Valentino and make it relevant for the 21st Century but still be respectful to signor Valentino Garavani.

  Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri (right) and Pier Paolo Piccioli (left)

For their recent Fall 2012 Valentino Haute Couture collection, they continued this spirit showing beautiful, delicate clothes, with an almost "Game of Thrones" touch to them. Monastic Capes (the Couture item of the season) were abundant and dresses with curved solid patterns highlighted by delicate chiffon:

Caped Crusader vs. Fluid Queen: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Crystal Cocktails: a black with silver sequin  jet-beaded cocktail dress with "pulled-up" Princess-cowl skirt detail (left) and a sequin-and-jacquard jumpsuit (right)--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Feminine Renaissance: cowl-draped long-sleeve silk chiffon gown with applique (left) and multicolored applique cocktail dress--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Priest Front, Red Carpet Back: silk crepe-back satin gown with semi-open blouson-and-caped back--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Botticelli Primavera: Full-skirted gown with cape in embroidered silk gazar (left) and gold and yellow bateau-neck long-sleeve dress with "pulled-up" skirt detail--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Roman Ball: blouson-style silk chiffon gown with sequined applique and silk satin applique coat with pointed shoulders--my FAVORITE look of the entire collection HANDS DOWN!!! Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Click below for Full Runway Video of Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012:

Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week--Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012--Pics + Runway Video!

Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week--Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012--Pics + Runway Video!

Caped Beauties, Architectural Columns, a Fan Bingbing Wedding Gown, and Mrs. Kanye West...

Bingbing Wedding Cape: Chinese actress (and Fashion Diva) Fan Bingbing models Le Mariage final dress, Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

French fashion designer Stephane Rolland showed his Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012 collection a couple of days ago in Paris. Rolland has recently become a Red Carpet darling with a lot of actresses--primarily the non-American ones who feel comfortable "stepping it up" and not playing it safe when it comes to what they want to wear at high profile events. There is one big US fan though: Lady Gaga. Naturally she would LOVE his clothes! Someone else who just jumped on the Rolland bandwagon, is reality show and Us Weekly Cover Girl Hall-of-Famer Kim Kardashian.

Couture Couple: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian at the Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012 fashion show, Paris

 Kim's Gown: Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2012

She's been in Paris with her current beau Kanye West, and made an appearance at Rolland's show. Kim wore a black dress with white organza shoulder detail from the designer's Spring/Summer 2012 Haute Couture collection--it was modified for la Kim in that it was made "high-low" as opposed to how it was originally shown as in the photo above. Their showing almost completely overshadowed the fashions on the runway since naturally the photographers went crazy-mad! When I was looking for images of the Stephane Rolland Haute Couture show online, after googling it, the runway photos didn't come up...but Kim Kardashian and Kanye West sure did!  Is this good or bad? Talk amongst yourselves...

 Camel Hot: Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Now, onto the fashions: It was like a continuation of what Rolland has been doing for a couple of the last Couture seasons; metallic belts, details, CAPES galore, geometric cut-outs, architectural shapes. It seemed like this was the "extended remix" of  last season's Stephane Rolland Haute Couture collection. Is this good or bad? (again, talk amongst yourselves). At least he's consistent. I, for one, am a fan of Stephane Rolland and as a fellow fashion designer respect his scissor-sharp cuts and severe Spartan Goddess looks. His woman is a Fashion Dominatrix--without the whips and chains!

 Curved Slits: Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

 Feathered Asymmetry: Feathered  shoulder ivory gown with metallic accents (left) and bronze gathered gown with Asymmetrical coat-jacket--Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

 Cannes 2013 Red Carpet: Asymmetry, Geometry and unexpected details are key words in a Stephane Rolland collection--Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

 Caped Queens: Designer Stephane Rolland LOVES those gowns with lots and lots of fabric flowing in the "runway wind" as the models walk...or stomp! Here are two prime examples--Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

 Merlot Sexy: a see-through silk chiffon and crepe-back satin gown with fringed/featherd side detail (left) and Amercian model Sessilee Lopez in a one-shouldered gathered chiffon gown with back cape/fall--Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

 A Funeral Entrance: two all black looks --a gown with attached side cape (left) and plunging neckline cape-jacket with fitted trousers (right) on Spanish Supermodel Nieves Alvarez--Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

 Finale Gown: Actress Fan Bingbing in a fringed cape gown--Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Click Below for Stephane Rolland Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012 runway video:

Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week--Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week--Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

  

Caped and Fringed COUTURE Gypsies:

Givenchy Tableux: Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Designer Riccardo Tisci showed his Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012 Collection this week in Paris with a Look Book-like presentation with close-up viewings for editors and fashion glitterati alike. Tisci, who has become the go-to guy for Gothic Gorgeousness (hello Rooney Mara!) and elegant warrior princesses with dark, mystic touches. For this season, the imagery went into a Gypsy-like world. There were sumptuous capes, lined in painstakingly hand-beaded sequins and sable mink (it's Haute Couture after all!). Fringe was the "special guest" star in this COUTURE show, making its "appearance" in various forms: from dangling sequins and beads to napa leather. The small, but impressive collection was gorgeous in its simplicity but still taking the art of hand-made Haute Couture to a forward-thinking level. Fashion has to look back but it can only survive by moving forward.

Haute Fringe: Model Joan Smalls featuring a hand-beaded degrade sequined sweater-top (note that this little beaded top probably costs as much as a Couture Gown--approximately $100,000), skinny pants and open-toe sandals. Modern Couture, Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Fringed Warrior: Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Gypsy Queen: Sable trimmed bell-sleeved coat and creme gown, Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Suede Red Carpet: a cappuccino-colored suede gown with intricate embroidery detail at the high-hip/back midriff and high side slit, Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Halter Diva: a black halter gown with built-in cape completely embroidered with sequins on the inside lining, Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week--Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012--Pics + Runway Video!

Runway Report: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week--Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012--Pics + Runway Video!

Flower and Ruffle Power!

Alta Moda Ruffles: Designer Giambattista Valli (center) with two of his Roman Alta Moda-inspired designs, Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Continuing with Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012 Fashion Week, designer Giambattista Valli showed his collection. Battista, known for his volants and prints, didn't disappoint on both counts. Ruffles exploded with grand exuberance in dresses, coats, gowns--you name it, they were there. The collection--based on fairies, nymphs, and a whimsical garden of COUTURE, featured flower prints in every variation that it almost made me forget that this was a FALL/WINTER Collection--as opposed to Spring/Summer.This seems to be a trend for this season!

 Peplum Couture: Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

You want PEPLUM? Huuuuney, Giambattista SERVED you PEPLUM--folded in what seemed like TEN layers(see far left and second-to-the-right photos above). Lord knows how those petite main COUTURE seamstresses fit all those layers into waist seams but they did it without a semblance of bulk (a masterful achievement indeed, trust me!). Many a cocktail dress and gown to satisfy all the multimillionaire ladies who order and buy these $100,000+ pieces, as well as those Cannes-and-Hollywood actresses who will borrow these dresses for a red carpet appearance worthy of all those flower prints and over-the-top ruffles.

Flower Power: Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

50's Eleganza: Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

In my opinion, so far, this is one of my favorite collections of Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012 Fashion Week. Every piece was more incredible than the other. Each was a clear representation of what Haute Couture is and reminded me of those 1950's and 1960's heydays of Roman Alta Moda, which obviously influenced the designer a lot. I was literally SHAKING as I viewed every photo. I love it when fashion does that to me. Grazie mille Giambattista.

Pouf: Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012

Flora and Fauna Details: Check out those netting masks covering the delicately beautiful model's faces--some highlighted with butterflies. The oversized lady bug arm cuffs and twig-like belts--all in gold were OUT of CONTROL! From head to toe, these were Grand Couture Nymph Fairies waiting for a fabulous party to attend!




Click Below for the Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2012 Runway Video (edited):