Elie Saab Couture 2010

"...a bit too fantasy-prom to cut it in Couture week", were the words of Sarah Mower in her review of Elie Saabs latest couture collection. As a huge fan of Saab's collections year in and year out, I quite predictably disagree. Ok, it wasn't as breathtaking as I found it to be for Fall/Winter '09 - that frosted, ice cold elegance created a league all of it's own, but to not 'cut it in Couture week'?, now that's just plain wrong. I don't know if my perceptions are blinkered though, because I do have a slightly Cinderella based obsession with fantasy floor length gowns, intricately beaded and embroidered within every last inch of fabric (I'm also one of those who's had their wedding dress planned since I found out how amazingly fantastic a dress can make you feel. I may have been four and in a Laura Ashley summer dress, but the feeling is the same!). However, this collection was very worthy of Couture week and I hope the following photos illustrate this!

The dresses were expectantly exquisite, and had an air of vintage sophistication and style which reminded me of the gowns Kate Winslet wore in The Titanic. There were repetitive styles of dress (I reluctantly admit there were a couple a little too easy to click the 'next' button on), but hang on a second, didn't Karl Lagerfeld just show us jacket and skirt combination...after tedious jacket and skirt combination? Repetitive as either may be argued to be, they both stuck to what they do best and with what their labels have become synonymous with. The weakest points to the collection were probably the shorter dresses, as Mower did have a point in her review, they were a little too reminiscient of a school-girl prom. However, the rest was stunning and maybe the theme was inspired by the dress-dreams of many, many women? And that last dress....well, I'll let you decide!

And last but definitely not least...

So, worthy of couture week? What do you think? Whose couture do you look forward to seeing?

Elie Saab Couture Spring 2010

Stella McCartney S/S2010

The spring/summer collection this year was a mixed bag to say the least by Stella McCartney. Some of it seemed awkward, and at odds with the rest of the collection. I know that denim is making a come back, but a knee length, tight, faded denim skirt though very wearable, looked to me like it could only be worn along the lines of a middle aged school teacher, or just any middle aged woman with limited style. There were quite few bits actually that looked very much aimed at the older woman, however I'm digressing from the point of this blog. There were many other pieces, which I thought were gorgeous. Very sophisticated, but modern with lots of pieces in camel brown, mixed with fresh white lace. The pastels she used looked richer and more luxurious made in raw silks, than many that have walked down the catwalks of other designers, in their sheers and feminine ruffles.

The second half of the collection couldn't have differed more from the first; bold colour, frivolous volume and over-sized, whirling ruffles potentially inspired by the Spanish flamenco dancers? Concentrate on the chic and sexy side of this collection and you'll forget all about those unfortunate denim pieces...almost.

Springtime....

Whilst everyone is complaining that 'Summer' (if we even had it?) has gone, I am embracing the Autumn/Winter season. I'm feeling a stupidly high excitement at the chunky knits in stores now, more sombre colours and scarves and mittens! It must have been almost two months ago now, that I saw one of the first knitted dresses hit the highstreet and non-inspiring as it was, it still deserved a 'gasp and grasp'. However, I seem to have gained a child-like attention/patience span of about 4 weeks. I'm bored of reading about dressing with 'power' because a dress/top has 'statement shoulders'. As much as I loved it, there's only so much 'Balmania' you can read about....it's all just grown a bit repetitive. 

Maybe that's why I'm now so obsessed with blogging every new (well almost), development on the upcoming Fashion Weeks. Every day I'm checking out the shows (if only in person!), and it's so nice to see some new styles to ponder on. Already, I'm seeing style predictions that yellow and turquoise blue are going to be big, with the odd metallic, orange and even green hue about. Draping seems to be featuring on almost every catwalk. And sheer fabric cut outs are also being revealed from most designers. That one will definitly be coming up in the blog stakees at some point!

Being British, of course I'm eagerly...in fact much more than eagerly, awaiting London Fashion Week, to see what the designers will be offering us for next season. I can only hope it doesn't involve more shoulders!!

P.S....where would I be without style.com?

BCBG Max Azria

This week...BCBG Max Azria ready-to-wear collection Spring 2010...

Simply put; a breath of fresh air. Synthesising splashes of a tropical palette of green, yellow, coral and turquoise, against a heavy backdrop, particularly in black and grey. Asymmetry was back again, seen throughout most of the collection....never letting a maxi dress reach it's full length potential. Shorter dresses were cool and clean cut making use of simple bold line detailing. As seen on trend last year, draping makes a reappearance frequently here, where models were ruched and bandaged into a collection bursting with a much wanted, spring time modern edge.