Paris Fashion Week has brought a whirlwind of couture frenzy as bloggers, fashion magazines, and everybody who's anybody sat along the catwalk, entranced by the high fashion couture magic. Luckily for those of us unfortunate enough to not have gotten the invite (TFI!!), we have the internet to help us catch up on the upcoming fall trends. So to add onto that, we've broken it down A-Z to show you the runway highlights, the trend forecasts, and the ever-so-witty opinions of our Kaii team to bring you our MASSIVE runway report!!
So sit back, open a glass of wine, and join our pity party as we review the couture lines we desperately wish we were a part of.
Alexandre Vauthier
Alexandre Vauthier did simple chic in terms of color palette consisting of mostly black, white, beige, and the occasional light blue. What gave this designer the coveted spot of being featured on our blog was the line's use of asymmetrical cuts on their skirts that stood both alone and together over some pants. It's like the modern, fashionable kilt for the fashion-conscious! We were in love, especially the way it was demonstrated over white pants (far right picture above).
Alexis Mabille
Pastel colors for the fall? Flowers on the runway? One question: Is this fall or spring? Despite what seems like a forgotten memo to Alexis Mabille's set designers, we still thought that Alexis Mabille's line was undeniable gorgeous. High-waisted pants, puffy sleeves, and cascading ruffles was like a breath of fresh air amidst the dark-toned settings of the rest of fashion week. We adored the high-waisted pants outfits the best and the line's beautiful use of mixing silk with (what looks like) jacquard. It accentuated the silky smooth aspect of each separate piece, bringing together an elegant feel throughout the line. Flowers aside, the line was a hit in our books.
Bouchra Jarrar
Bouchra Jarrar loves her trousers and it shows in her Fall 2013 line that was nothing short of amazing. Sleeveless vests, stitched-crease trousers, and asymmetric symmetry showed an a way that proved that the Parisian way is the modern-businesswoman-couture way. Nonetheless, we absolutely adored this line, especially Jarrar's crossover draped jersey pieces. We interpreted it as her version of the modern cropped top that is sure to send Balenciaga's SS 2013 wedge cut-out cropped top to rest. The use of masculine-feminine tailoring intertwined with the sexiness of bare skin mixed well with the edgy metal accessories to give it that chic moto-chic(k) vibe that bordered on avant garde (but just almost).
Chanel
Despite Karl's visionary creativity and consistency, we are sad to say that this faltered on our top 5 list . "(GASP!) But how could you, Kaii?! Isn't Karl your favorite fashion maestro of all of time?" Yes, and no. Although we loved how Lagerfeld's runway set in the Grand Palais embodied the "old world stepping into the new" theme in a deliberate run-down theatre atmosphere, the clothes didn't do it justice...or specifically, the silhouettes were not up to par with his past collections. That boxy silhouette, that weird square hat, those unflattering hairstyles...all no no no's. We can see how those accentuated the overall angular aspects to the clothes, but did so in (dare we say it) an ugly way. We did, however, love the stocking boots held up by garter belts; the beautiful fabrics that surpassed the likings of tweed with embroidered shreds of wool, chiffon, and metallic filaments; and the intricate embroideries that entranced everyone like optical illusions.
Christian Dior
One of the breaking news of Fall 2013 Couture fashion week was Raf Simon's model cast including six black models. This was big news since the Dior design house has been predominantly caucasian. The multicultural cast tied in with his multicultural take in his Fall couture line that drew references from Europe, America, Asia, and Africa to reach out to his international clientele. His show visited places around the world like Paris through parisian scarfs and tweed tailoring; America through sporty scarves and clean-cut coats; Asia through the process of spacey shibori that created 3-D spikey fabrics from Japan; and Africa through tribal beading and Masai-inspired drapes. It was great to see the brand branch out across the world and embrace the international market with a multicultural case. It was like a breath of fresh air amidst the autumn breeze.
Elie Saab
Covered in all the right places, Elie Saab's Fall 2013 Couture line was nothing short of glamorous and sparkly. With sheer fabrics with intricate embroideries in all the right places for flawless nip slip cover-ups, the line's jewel-toned collection was absolutely stunning. The waist-centric A-line and ballgown silhouettes was a timeless choice as well as the designer's use of lace, mousseline, and silk. This line was sure to set celebrity stylists ablaze with future attempts at coveting some of these gorgeous gowns for award season, which may be the reasoning behind the ruby red runway reminiscent of the red carpet walkway.
Giambattista Valli
Dainty, fragile, floral, and porcelain would be how we sum up Giambattista Valli's couture line. The dresses were all so feminine and lush, as if models were draped over with rose petals, emerging as flower goddesses in the desolate fall season. Cocktail dresses with amazingly fluffy ruffles and sheer trumpet dresses decorated with 3-D flowers were paired with golden neoclassical tiaras. Chinoiserie prints, porcelain purity, and French red Sèvres created this dainty line that was all so vivid and magical. By far, we rank Giambattista Valli's Fall 2013 Couture line as our number one pick of the season.
Gustavo Lins
Watercolor ink, furry lapels, floor-length coats, and contrast inner lining caught our attention as we viewed Gustavo Lin's couture show. The designer seems to have had Eastern influence in the line like the samurai-like wide leather belt, and inner linings that created stark contrasts from the inner orangey-red with the outer liquidy blue-black. We loved the watercolor-ink tie dye prints used in the line's jackets, tops, and coats that was minimalistic and monochromic, being a must-have addition to your wardrobe this coming fall season.
Jean Paul Gaultier
As all the fashion sites have deemed it..."CATS!" Jean Paul Gaultier's line got lots of attention because of the line's obsessive use of cheetah prints and
his open letter to Style.com's Tim Blanks. But besides the designer's apparent catty attitude, the line was almost all head-to-toe cheetah prints, which in our honest opinion was on the tacky side. Don't get us wrong, he did a great job in making a statement from the cheetah-print hair and stockings, to the exaggerated curves on pencil skirts. Yet still, we can't say that we're a fan, but we are a fan of his brashness in approaching Tim Blanks on his review. Mrowr~! We love watching a good cat fight.
Are we the only ones that thought of Alexander McQueen during MMM's fall runway show? No one? Hmm...well moving on... From latex coats, to couture jeans, to Eastern traditional prints, to one arm-winged long gloves, MMM was definite and unexpected highlight of the season. Artisanal did a spectacular job repurposing old pieces like embroidered Art Nouveau curtains in silk tulle into a strapless dress laid over lush fuchsia satin (pictured above 2nd row, 2nd from the left). The overall creative direction, similar to that of Alexander McQueen, used the masks as a way of revealing by concealing; by matching with harmonious symphony with the clothes its masked models wore.
On Aura Tout Vu
Like a drop of blood swirling in a glass of clear water, On Aura Tout Vu's line featured interesting dip dyed fabrics that convinced us to include this line into our runway report. Also, those embellished skull bag reminiscent of a medieval flail weapon were absolutely to die for (perhaps even literally!) The line was edgy, sometimes spikey, and mosdefinitely interesting. With accessories that look like railroad tracks and shoulder extensions that look like icy fortress coral reefs, the line presented possible new trends that could come, particularly their ombre-esque prints and poofy sleeves.
Oscar Cavalio
Three words: love, love, LOVE!! We are in love with the line's Eastern influences, shiny satin, and golden accents. Westernized silhouettes with trendy cutouts married with asian influences such as embroidered cranes and chinoiserie prints, we were left with awe with all its satiny glory. One of our favorite and most memorable looks was the blackened peacock feather-skirt dress (pictured above 3rd row, 3rd from the left) and blue crew neck mid-length dress (pictured above 2nd row, 1st from the right).
Stephane Rolland
Dark origami sorceress would best sum up Stephane Rolland's line with a collection that was mostly dark navy and black with white as its contrasting accent. The chest areas of some of the pieces looked as if there was an origami manifestation spreading up toward the neck, consuming yet elongating the wearer in an ivory iceberg encapsulation. Flowy fabrics created these sorceress' capes as the models yielded it around gusting winds of fabulous as they walked down the runway. We loved the detailed folds by the neck that created a bib-like collar that we would love to see in our everyday ready-to-wear clothes. Professional, chic, and unique.
Ulyana Sergeenko
Amish goes sexy couture. Ulyana Sergeenko caught our attention when we saw its sexy high thigh-high garter socks on our
Tumblr dashboard. Upon further inspection, we fell in love with the entire line. It's like posh modesty with a dark twist, feels almost like these clothes could be starred in a pilgrim horror film where everyone has amazing fashion taste. We also loved the capes that reminded us of Tom Ford's white cape dress that Gwyneth Paltrow wore to the 2012 Oscars. We definitely see that coming on as a trend for the fall, which leads us to our next fashion giant: Valentino.
Valentino
Luxurious, regal, cashmere, and "Wunderkammer" were the underlying themes for Valentino's fall couture collection. "Wunderkammer", as explained by
Vogue, is the 17th and 18th century tradition of the cabinet of curiosities in which aristocratic collectors would display exotic specimens culled from nature (shells, sea creatures, taxidermy) and archaeological oddities. It seemed like designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and her design partner Pierpaolo Piccioli did just that and also derived some of their ideas from Eastern influences, not in terms of print, but rather the execution of such prints. The repetitive pattern on silky satin reminded us of chinoiserie prints similar to that of Oscar Cavalio and Giambattista Valli's Fall 2013 Couture lines shown in this post, but had the marine wunderkammer aspect to it. Their herringbone capes and dresses was a great fit for their attempt at creating daywear looks along with their matching pencil skirts and underlying dresses. Caped coats would definitely be one of our trend forecast for this upcoming fall season, and we cannot be more excited!
Quoting Drake, "Versace, versace, Medusa head on me like I'm 'Luminati" There's a reason why this fashion powerhouse is so prominent in our culture. From the sexy, skin-baring ensembles, to the model cast in the show, Atelier Versace brought back the 30's with precision and detailed perfection. Sexy lingerie-like lace bras dominated its presence through crystal-studded attires that glistened at the seams. Crystal hooks and eyes traced the curves of the bodices, accentuating the utter sensual provocativeness and laborious attention to detail in the couture line. Versace's Fall 2013 Couture line was trendy with a high-fashion twist with its sheer fabric, mink linings, shredded tulle, and sequined lace. Opening and closing with model superstar Naomi Campbell was like the appetizer and dessert course of this lavish menu. After all, that woman walks with the swaggiest swag of all time. What better way to start and finish the sexy line?
Zuhair Murad
Similar to Elie Saab's Fall 2013 Couture line, Zuhair Murad knows how to cover up in all the right places. His tattoo-like embroideries, intricately placed lace, Victorian necklines, and branch-like beadings was the apparent theme of his show and we were enticed by it all. With the gothic mood of his line, we were entranced by the eerie aspect of it all. The beadings reminded us of veins and brain cells, creating a zebra-like effect over sheer fabric that created tattoo effects. Zuhair Murad, one of our red carpet favorites, has secured his spot on that list with gorgeous ivory lace gowns (pictured above 1st row, 1st from the right) and sapphire lamé dresses that would surely be great crowd pleasers. One of our favorite looks featured an almost-transparent nude dress with striking sapphire branch beading that, below the waistline, was laid under beautiful nude tulle (pictured above 1st row, 2nd from the right). Zuhair Murad created a stunning line that was eye-catching and interesting that clearly demonstrated the line's ability to produce work that is meant to attract attention on the red carpet (or anywhere for that matter).
So there you go, fashion-addicts! From A-Z, we got you covered and caught up on this year's fall couture lines. But what does this mean for us normal folks? Well, besides the fact that we get to mope with awe at how amazing these clothes are and how we'll never be able to afford it, we get to suck it up and learn. Here are our trend forecasts for this coming fall season:
- Deep, rich jewel tone colors are in (i.e. emerald green, sapphire blue, ruby red, navy, gold, metallic colors)
- Black and white will ALWAYS be every season's colors
- Embroideries over sheer fabric and the use of tulle are here to stay
- Cropped tops are also here to stay
- Asymmetrical cuts give any wardrobe, even boxy coats, that intriguing flair. A technique we like to call "asymmetrical symmetry".
- PETA will be in uproar, but FUR! Whether it's mink like Versace or faux fur, fur is fabulous and lush. Who wouldn't want that fuzzy warmth in the cold weather?
- Satin and silk with Asianic prints. Can't go wrong with that. After all, the chinese has been rockin' that for thousands of years.
- Knee-length rule over mini skirts in the cold.
- Caped gowns!! Ahh~! We're so in love! We honestly cannot wait to see these on the market soon!
- Being covered in all the right places and showing your beautiful lacey bra underneath is no longer considered indecent (depending on where you are though)
- Victorian necklines can translate to a turtleneck comeback.
- Florals can be still present in the fall.
That's it folks! We hope you enjoyed our lengthy yet descriptive runway report. Hopefully by now, you've finished at least half of that bottle of wine and feeling a little better about yourself and your newfound knowledge of couture fashion.
And as always, thanks for stopping by!
{{ Image source: NYmag.com/thecut/runway }}
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