S'09: Couture A

Couture has arrived!

Unfortunately Alexis Mabille does not have detail shots.
The first couple looks are couples looks.
They remind me of the choirs at my high school, because before and after concerts they'd enter and exit the stage paired in couples, with the women feebly clinging to the crooked elbows of the men. I always wondered who picked the partners, because most of them looked none too thrilled about touching the other person so intimately. Wow this is getting to sound convoluted. Anyhow, that's what these couples look like to me, even though they're not touching.

Could they be more dour? I guess resembling a fireworks explosion does that to your soul.
Anyway check this cute lil look on Chanel Iman: Isn't that bag adorable?

I'm thinking of a certain someone (*cough* JIMMY *cough*) who loathes a certain texture, writ large in the following outfit:
He's probably vomiting somewhere right now. It does look kind of pretty on the bottom, though, and I don't mean the rump since you can't see that part. Finally, I want us all to admire these shoes:
They'd be excruciating to slip into, but they're really fun! In sum, a rather splotchy collection I thought. While there wasn't really any motif to wrap it together, there is a kind of humor and panache in it which I think will have a little something for everyone.

I was really not a fan of Mabille's fantasy school collection that he showed last season, and I went into this with pretty low expectations. I mean, come on.

Morticia Addams forced to take work as a domestic.

Mena Suvari in American Beauty. I throw my hands up in frustration at this. I'm not a fan of that red velvet Cries and Whispers thing going on up there either. As I went deeper in the show, though, I was surprised to find a decent amount of looks that I was fond of, if not blown away by.

Hey!

Yeah!

Lovely! My expectations, while low, have been surpassed; I especially liked the series of red pieces that come near the end of the show. So I can't say that I totally hated this show. Just kinda!
STATUS: Agreed - lackluster show with some appealing moments.

Anne Valérie Hash is only ten looks. To quote style, one is "a strapless dress with more than 1,000 pieces of ivory lace sewn into a train honed for the "first" wedding" which might honestly be a bit anti-climatic when you do see it but only because it's very subtle and understated. Hash's couture is sober, well-fitted and superbly constructed.

Sober is definitely the word for this, but I find Hash's eye for detail to be absolutely delightful.

Totally beautiful construction
and I love the silhouette as well. The delicate beading and lacework are basically exquisite...but the overall effect can be kind of underwhelming. This is beautiful

But this is kind of not as much.

STATUS: Definitely lovely and subtle, but sometimes subtle to its detriment. Also, not into those shiny suits. Rich ladies going to business meetings have classier things to wear, THANK you.

Armani Privé has detail shots, front row photos, and even beauty pics. The latter, are particularly fun since they expose how truly bizarre models and fashion are in any context outside the runway, for example:

Vain seaweed-head nymphs! (CAN YOU GET OVER THAT HANDI-WORK ON THE DRESSES THOUGH, REALLY? Just a hint of what you'll find in this show)

And, as far as front-row shots it's a total battle royale of the Vogue heads (New York, British, French, Italian- they're all there! Who's the hottest? It's kind of not even a contest) plus this bizarre, wonderful, inexplicable creature:
Who? What? Why?

As far as the actual show goes, as much as it pains me to say this about Armani, I think you're going to love it. (There's tons of nuttiness too, but it's definitely a great show) As a little taste:Opening thoughts:

Jesus God, this is going to be fantastic.

*mouth agape*

I am loving the Vase At My Grandma's House motif.

That just kind of broke my mind. This show is completely over-the-top, and in an EXACTLY perfect way.

The theme of the suits is kind of 21st Century Norma Desmond Goes to the Studio to Meet With DeMille, and I can't say that I entirely disapprove. I don't know if this is quite how I envisioned rich ladies going to business meetings, but it is a hilarious step in the right direction.

I mean! But really, what I'm kind of the most excited for here is to get a preview for Oscar fashions.

These are GORGEOUS, but might be too much for the red carpet.

I prefer the red fringed dress, but this slate strapless gown seems more likely.

Both of these dresses best make an appearance. That is all I'm saying.

STATUS: A pretty exquisite show - and an interesting counterpoint to that Asian-inspired Dior show a few seasons back.