Hey peeps! As promised here is part 2 of my highlights of Paris Haute Couture Fashion
Week 2010 for The Model Management Blog.

[If you missed part one, you can catch up here]

Christian Dior | La Danse des Fleurs

By the looks of it, Irving Penn and Nick Knight are not the only ones to have looked
- very closely – to flowers and rejoice in their beauty, so did John Galliano in his latest
haute couture collection inspired by Mother Nature’s predilect daughters.

But we are not just talking old cliché flower print dresses here… trust dearest John to go
all the way in – part of his research for the collection involved spending an hour watching
the light change on a parrot tulip, for instance, how cool is that! – The result? A collection
that is, well, as fragrant as a bunch of freshly picked blossoms.

Don’t the models just look like the prettiest up-side-down ‘lil bouquets? -Er, notice: florist
plastic wrap style headpieces created by Stephen Jones and raffia belts hugging their mini
waists… Now, that is what I call a bloom!

Here are my fave Dior looks:

Karlie Kloss at Dior – Image via Style.com

Karlie Kloss at Dior – Image via Style.com

Georgina Stojilkovic at Dior – Image via Style.com

Elie Saab | Ave Phoenix Raises From The Haberdashery

“If a woman doesn’t want ‘rich,’ she doesn’t come to couture.” – says Elie Saab,
so you pretty much know what to expect from his latest couture collection.
Taking inspiration from a place he loves (La Fenice, Venice’s legendary opera house)
Saab’s collection mirrors the richness and the embellishments of the Italian venue,
becoming all perhaps a little too much. I totally agree with Tim Blanks on this one,
unfortunately dear Elie Saab, sometimes less is more and that is the feeling I get
with this collection.

Even the palette works completely against the overly-ornated red carpet dresses
tainting the whole collection with a somewhat old fashion look. Me not likey. I am
sorry Elie darling… please don’t take it personally.

I had to choose at least two looks to illustrate it here (not an easy task) so here:

Olga Sherer at Elie Saab – Image via Style.com

Liu Wen at Elie Saab – Image via Style.com

Valentino by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli’s | The Dark Side of First Love

It’s all about Lolitas gone dark over at the Valentino’s haute couture catwalk this season. Adding
to the apparent teen psychodrama is even a cage, which imprisons one of Valentino’s, delicate and
elegantly dressed Lolitas. Haute couture for the Twilight generation? Spot on Tim Blanks! In fact
I was picturing Emma Watson in all those looks, but she has grown up now hasn’t she? So, I am
pretty sure that she will be going for Givenchy instead…

Freja Beha Erichsen at Valentino – Image via Style.com

Gwen Loos at Valentino – Image via Style.com

Hanne Gaby Odiele at Valentino – Image via Style.com

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci | La Doleur Exquise

The words dégradé, lace and fringe-work are enough to make any fashionista’s heart melt.
Such words are the signature of Riccardo Tisci’s work and that is exactly what he uses in
his latest haute couture collection for Givenchy.

The collection which was inspired by the artist Frida Kahlo, was presented in the same intimate
style as McQueen’s last couture show, to bring focus on the magnificent detail of his pieces.
Now, if you know Frida, you will know about Frida’s 3 obsesions: sensuality, religion and -due to
her lifelong battle with spinal pain- the human anatomy, all aspects which are exquisitely and
beautifully represented in Tisci’s work.

Again, like at chez Gaultier, the skeleton seems to be the dominant element here… are calaveras*
suddenly trendy? Well, Swarovski crystal ones that took 1,600 hours to create certainly are!!!

I am loving this collection so much, not only because the pieces are to die for but also because
I love Frida myself. I simply could not choose just 3 from all his lovely pieces, so here they are:

Ming Xi at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Ming Xi at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Malgosia Bela at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Magdalena Frackowiak at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Iris Strubegger at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Daphne Groeneveld at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Karmen Pedaru at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Lea T at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Natasha Poly at Givenchy – Image via Style.com

Aren’t they amazing? Riccardo Tisci steals the couture crown in my opinion this season,
his collection was my absolute favourite. Which one did you like the most?

xoxo
Nonita

*That’s skeletons in Spanish yo!