Haute Couture Spring Summer 2008: Chanel, Lacroix, Givenchy

During day two of Paris Haute Couture fashion week my schedule was packed with three fabulous design houses, including Chanel, Christian Lacroix, and Givenchy. All very unique from each other, I was eager to see how Karl personally evolve Coco’s classics, and I exhausted myself trying to imagine what outrageous designs would be displayed at Lacroix. Givenchy was also of particular interest, as Riccardo is a great new edition to the design house and I was curious to see how the Haute Couture collection had evolved.

Chanel:

To start the day I attended the always amazing Chanel Haute Couture, which was executed in a style that took my breath away. Under the domed glass ceilings of Le Grand Palais, Karl Lagerfeld once again reinvented the classic styles of Coco Chanel by adding his ever-evolving inspiration of modernization and femininity, which has become his signature. The show was set with a seashore theme, and center stage towered a sandcastle sculpture of the classic Chanel jacket. Inspired by the color pallet of the shoreline, styles took on shapes and colors that can be found by the sea, including shelled shapes, the sparkle of ocean water, and a pallet of soft pastels and shear sheaths.

Staying true to the theme, the couture was fashioned for summer days walking along the shore. Hemlines were generally shortened, and the classic flats were varied in color and texture from a polished patent leather to a sparkle that resembled the glimmer of ocean waters. Never one to waiver from his inspiration Karl ensured every detail fit perfectly with his vision and communicated clearly to the crowd that Chanel is all about looking pulled together, polished, and incredibly chic.

While I felt that perhaps the shortened hemlines of this collection might have been aimed at a younger crowd, it is clear that Karl understands the ever-changing needs of modern women. Anyone familiar with Haute Couture knows that it is truly about exclusive customization that exists on a personal level, and so for chic women over 40, the options are endless in terms of customization to make you most comfortable. On a personal level I would explore longer hemlines for a more mature clientele, and although the flats were gorgeous, I would play with a fabulous heel. But that is just my own personal style.

From this collection, my favorite pieces included the long flowing dresses with transparent sheaths that added volume without weight, providing the sexiness and lightness of a summer dress without showing too much skin. I quite enjoyed the tuxedo tops, as this is always an elegant choice, and I appreciated the movement away from the typical Chanel boxy cuts towards more of a seashell shape that showed of the silhouette for the Spring/Summer season.

As expected, the show debuted an effortlessly elegant collection that built on a historically classic style and reinforced the message that you can always look chic in Chanel. Chanel’s timeless and ageless quality was once again displayed in this collection, which made clear that Karl’s vision continues to keep in mind the beauty of all women.

By far one of the most popular shows for Paris Haute Couture fashion week, there was no shortage of celebrities and trendsetters in the audience.

Anna Wintour sat front row with Michael Roberts from Vanity Fair and Elizabeth Saltzman.

Claudia Schiffer sat front row as well and looked absolutely stunning.

Susan chatting with Kassidy Schagrin before the show begins.

Susan being interviewed for Italian television.

After the show I congratulated Karl on his incredible collection and remembering our meeting from his last show, he thank me again for my book, Chic in Paris, which I had given to him as a gift.

Christian Lacroix:

Following Chanel I was off to one of my all time favorite Haute Couture collections, Christian Lacroix, which was held at the museum Georges Pompidou. To my delight, Lacroix’s collection was bursting with imagination that created and the kind of couture that only a genius mind could imagine. In a single statement, the collection was out of this world. Throwing style rules out the window, Lacroix mixed and matched colors, patterns, textures, and materials you would never imagine to work well together. However, his creations magically came together and countered any initial skepticism. True masterpieces, his couture was immaculately detailed and epitomized the uninhibited luxury of Haute Couture. Through this collection it became very clear, the king of Haute Couture is Christian Lacroix.

While the exuberant designs and combination of prints, colors and cuts may not translate to wearable fashions for everyone, I can definitely see these designs being worn to glamorous balls where fashionably forward individuals want to set themselves apart from the crowd. The outrageous gowns were brought to an unimaginable level of extravagance through attention to detail both in design and presentation.

A common style among many of the Haute Couture collections, I very much loved the voluminous skirts shown by Lacriox both for their structured design and knee length cut, which appealed more to a mature audience. Heavily appliquéd satins and draped silks in a multitude of shapes and colors worked wonderfully on the runway and individually would easily translate into extravagant statement pieces off the runways as well.

One of my favorite aspects of this collection was Lacroix’s ability to master the mix of so many different patterns in a single outfit. A result that looked incredibly conceptualized, it had me amazed and in wonder as to what fantastic ideas were going through his head as he visualized the finished product.

Although Lacroix is famous for his flamboyant style, there were a few pieces included in the collection that would appeal to a more conservative clientele. Simpler designs still looked stunning and although solid in color, the detail afforded to shaping the fabric created couture that was original and elegant. Of the simpler styles, my personal favorite was the draped blood red chiffon dress that sat off the shoulder and looked gracefully chic.

As the show drew to an end, the audience tossed Lacroix’s signature carnations onto the runway in approval and a buzz of nothing but the best reviews quickly spread through the crowd.

Backstage after he show I spoke with Christian Lacroix about his unbelievable collection and the outstanding contribution his imagination brings to Haute Couture.

Sophie, a friend from Paris, and I socialized backstage after the show. She too was enamored by the collections unrestrained creativity.

Givenchy:

Following Lacroix, I made my way over to the Givenchy Haute Couture show, which was debuted in a covenant and offered the perfect setting for what was a heavy and dramatic exhibit. As classical music filled the air a mysterious mood set in, which was dispelled throughout the show with amazingly tailored designs reminiscent of the Fall/Winter Haute Couture collection but enhanced with an understated sophistication.

From the very first outfit, I immediately fell in love with the deep black materials and short ruffled skirts with contrasting white details that added dimension to the garments. Impeccably tailored coats and dresses in black and white introduced a collection that, in my opinion, was far more sophisticated and elegant that than last seasons designs.

A couple of show stopping pieces stood out from the collection such as the sparkling dress of gold laminate, which would be a perfect dress for an awards show like the Oscars. Although I am not normally into glitz, the detailed design seduced me into making an exception. I also loved the the ruffled beige jacket, which I thought would make an excellent statement piece due to its ostentatious design.

Riccardo Tisci’s collection appealed presented pieces that would work well for women over 40. A few of my favorites included the tailored suites with studded detailing and the high waist pants that hugged the leg through a tapered cut.

While I was luke warm on this collection in July, I feel as though I have seen the modern originality that provided an inspirational couture collection. Having fallen in love with this young designers dramatic vision, I believe his reputation within Haute Couture will successively grow as he evolves with the collection each season.Givenchy was filled with many familiar faces during fashion week and I caught up with some friends before slipping backstage after the show.

Delphine Arnault Gancia arrives at the show.

Susan looking through her book, Chic in Paris, with friends Bettina and Liz Goldwyn.

Susan and Bethany sharing a quick chat just before the show begins.

Susan congratulating Riccardo Tisci on his inspirational collection.

Susan backstage with Carine Roitfeld, Editor-in-Chief at French Vogue.

Outside the show, Susan talks with Lou Doillon about her unique sense of style.

The day was absolutely amazing with each designer surpassing my expectations with their gorgeous exhibits and extravagant garments. With my busiest day behind me, I am looking forward to attending the Elie Saab Haute Couture collection tomorrow afternoon with hopes that it will continue the trend of fabulous shows I have thus far seen at fashion week in Paris.

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