It’s totally acceptable to spend a weekday afternoon (probably at work) fantasising about the kind of couture confections that cost more than your house…
Oh come on. It’s totally acceptable to spend a weekday afternoon (at work) fantasising about the kind of couture confections that cost more than your house…
Yes the AW15 couture shows are over and, as ever, the world’s greatest fashion houses (Chanel, Dior, Valli and more) have showcased their exquisite craftsmanship, limitless design skills and endless commitment to a ruffle.
So as the rich and famous place their haute orders, let’s ponder over some of the beautiful things they could buy, shall we?
1. Giambattista Valli Practical? Non, non, non. But breathtaking? If feathers and gathers are key couture markers, then nowhere does them quite like Valli.
2. Christian Dior Set in a psychedelic greenhouse, designer Raf Simons stayed at the restrained end of couture (if that’s not too much of an oxymoron) with the kind of subtle luxurious pieces that real women could potentially wear in real life. Surely a winning idea? We love the gold leaf fleck in this blossom print dress.
3. Atelier Versace Part soft goddess, part thorny warrior, Donatella wrapped all of our favourite supermodels in swaths of soft chiffon. We think Karlie Kloss looks positively heroic.
4. Chanel Karl Lagerfeld's giving us suggestions on where to wear our finery, namely, the Chanel Casino. Gold satin trims, pearl buttons and feathered wings? It's all in the detail...
5. Elie Saab Another fabric all couturiers love is a rich brocade. Elie Saab's shimmering embroideries are beautifully hand-crafted and surrounded by delicate seed beads.
6. Valentino Flowers, branches and other pretty things tend to dominate couture collections, so it's always exciting when someone puts a new spin on things. Cue Valentino's gilded trellis, and the most structured and beautiful corseting we've ever seen.
7. Dolce And Gabbana We could use ALL the emojis to describe Dolce and Gabbana’s Alta Moda collection - the fruit ones, the flower ones, the parrot ones... As ever, the boys threw every motif imaginable at their exotic creations. But then, surely that's what couture season is all about, isn't it?
See more of our favourite couture gowns in the gallery above.