Behold: The 11 Dreamiest Looks Straight From the Spring 2018 Couture Runways
The couture shows kicked off earlier this week in Paris with Schiaparelli, and while a pillar of the Schiaparelli maison is surrealism, it was Maria Grazia Chiuri who included many a trompe l’oeil in her couture show for Dior. Graphic black and white were employed throughout the collection, as well as on the much-Instagrammed checkerboard Dior tent pitched on the grounds of the Musée Rodin where the collection was presented. The Giambattista Valli couture show is always a crowd-pleaser, and the designer’s tiered finale gowns (shown with flats!) were a spectacle to be had. Speaking of crowd-pleasing, Karl Lagerfeld, donning a new beard, presented the Chanel couture collection at the Grand Palais, where, as always, the collection closed with the Chanel bride, who wore a waistcoat, pants, and a chic feathered cape. Whether or not the designer meant to add to the current conversation about female empowerment or not, the bridal suiting look was a welcome change. Alexandre Vauthier’s couture collection was as sexy as one could hope for, and he debuted new avant-garde matrix-like sunglasses in collaboration with Alain Mikli. Towards the end of couture week, John Galliano wowed show-goers during Maison Margiela Artisinal with his use of tech-fabric that responded to the presence and retraction of light from camera phones. However, it was Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino who truly reminded everyone that this week was supposed to celebrate the craft of couture. With a dash of feathers and tailored wide leg pants, he single-handedly made couture feel modern. And to that we say, bravo.
1Valentino
The shapes! The colors! The fabrics! The plumes! This was haute couture at its best. A brilliant show by Pier Paolo Piccoli for Valentino with a nod to the past this show was throughly modern. The oversized feather hats by Philip Treacy were possibly the most Instagrammed accessory of the week.
2Chanel
The bride wore pants and it was beautiful. Whether it was a nod to the conversation about female empowerment or not, the Chanel bride, in a waistcoat and trousers (and a feathered cape), felt particularly confident coming down the rose laden runway. Ahead of the bride, flower boy and runway regular Hudson Kroenig tossed petals and once again stole the show.
3ALEXANDRE VAUTHIER
This was a particularly special couture collection for Alexandre Vaulter, who debuted his collaboration eyewear with Alain Mikli on the runway. Bold shoulders and futuristic frames dominated the show.
4Christian Dior Couture
Nearly the entire Christian Dior Couture show was made up of black and white gowns, playing up the Surrealist theme of the collection.
5Schiaparelli
Among the many fantastic fabrics (feathers, raffia and plastic among them) some of the most minimal looks on the runway made the most impact at Schiaparelli.
6Armani Privé
Pastels are always associated with spring but this beaded fringe shift at Armani Privé felt particularly airy.
7Givenchy
In her debut couture collection for Givenchy, Clare Waight Keller, made her mark with fantastically feminine dresses and unexpected overcoats (feathers and latex among them).
8Giambattista Valli
Giambattista Valli’s couture shows are always a sight to behold – this tiered finale gown (worn with flats, no less!) was a hit.
9Maison Margiela Artisinal
With the flash of a camera phone this trench took on new light – utilizing fabric technology this trench could be viewed in two ways. Subtle, in dark-colored fabric for day and technicolor for night!
10Ronald van der Kemp
There is never a dull moment during a RVDK couture show. Van der Kemp himself clearly loves what he does, and it translates not only to his clothing but also through the energy in the room during his presentations.
11Ralph & Russo
Coming off the high of dressing Meghan Markle for in her official engagement photos, Ralph & Russo presented a red-carpet worthy couture collection. With pop icon Kylie Minogue seated in the front row, one can only imagine that we’ll be seeing a number of these gowns at this weekend’s Grammy Awards and the upcoming Oscars ceremony.
