Fashion Dress in The Present: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week

RUNWAY REPORT.....Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week GIAMBATTISTA VALLI Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016 Photos + Video!

Empress Party Girl: Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

The Dish: Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016. Think Empress Josephine for 2016 Millenial Debutantes. The themes were overtly Empire-and-Napoleon-like with lots of sequin-and -tulle Empire-waist dresses with mini-pouf sleeves, just right for the trust-fund gals who have $50,000-$100,000 to spare (from their daddy's account, probably) for a Holiday party. These dresses are perfect for those millennial empresses.

La Diva Josephine: Empress Josephine

Trends: Empire-shapes; pouffy sleeves; mini dresses; TULLE!!

Colors: Pink; black; white; fuchsia; mint blue; soft lilac.

Collection Highlights:

Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Close-Ups of Giambattista Valli Fall/Winter 2016 Haute Couture:

Mink and Applique Sequins--Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Crystal and Lace--Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Click below to watch Giambattista Valli Haite Couture Fall/Winter 2016 Show:

RUNWAY REPORT.....Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week VALENTINO Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016 Photos + Video!

Rome and Juliet and...VALENTINO: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

The Dish: Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016 collection was inspired by Shakespeare and in particular, the English poet/playwright/actor's Italian Renaissance-themed plays like Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, etc. Very appropriate being that it is--after all--the 400th anniversary of his death. Besides this important tidbit, there was one more: One of the Valentino Creative Directors--Maria Grazia Chiuri announced--immediately following this Valentino Haute Couture show--that she was hired as the new Creative Director for the famed House of Christian Dior.

Maria Grazia Chiuri (bottom photo, top right) will be the new Creative Director at Christian Dior--she is the first woman to hold that title in the fashion house's 69-year history

Trends: Elizabethan looks; ruffled necklines; monastic dresses; capelets; slim pants; flared skirts;

Colors: Black, white, red, gold, olive. silver

Collection Highlights:

Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Close-Up's of Valentino Haute Couture:

Hand-sewn Sequins--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Paillettes and Pearls--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Seamless Matching--Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Click below to watch VALENTINO Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016 show:

RUNWAY REPORT.....Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week ELIE SAAB Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016 Photos + Full Video!

Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

The Dish: New York, New York/The Big Apple. That was the theme of the Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016 collection shown in Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. Saab is opening a store next year so one assumes this is an appropriate theme. There were skylines hand-sewn onto silk organza and tulle, making a devore-like look...

The details of a $100,000 gown: Close-up details of Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Sequined doves appeared throughout as well as little couture girls walking along their model "mommies". Imagine being 8 years old and having the chance to have a $40,000 "mini"-Elie Saab Haute Couture hand-made gown created just for you? I am sure there are some Middle Eastern, Chinese and Russian Billionaire children looking forward to this.

Trends: All-out Glamour. It's Elie Saab! Lots of gold sequin applique, hand-cut velvet, side drapes/folds, below-the-knee; 1940's Lauren Bacall-meets-Kathryn Hepburn Hollywood Glam.

Colors: Gold, black, navy, deep purple, royal blue, raspberry; pink.

Collection Highlights:

Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Click below to watch ELIE SAAB Haute Couture Fall/Winter fashion show:

RUNWAY REPORT.....Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week: CHANEL Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016 Photos, Video!

Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

The Dish: Karl Lagerfeld brought the famed Chanel Haute Couture petites mains (Translation: little hands) to center stage at this past week's Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016 fashion show. The collection was a tribute to the Chanel couture atelier and all the seamstresses, patternmakers, drapers and sequin/embroidery magicians who make a $100,000 Haute Couture creation come to life. The collection showcased the unparalleled technical mastery of the tailleur (tailoring/suiting department) as well as the flou (flowy dresses, blouses) with structured shoulders, wider sleeves, cropped wide-leg pants and an instantly recognizable Chanel look.

Chanel Atelier Backdrop--Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016

Chanel Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld with his Chanel Haute Couture atelier Divas

Trends: Squared off shoulders; culottes; wider sleeves; Trapeze silhouette; feathered neck and shoulder accents; high-lo jacket shapes.

Colors: Olive; gray; pinks; gold; navy; silver; black

Collection Highlights: