Elie Saab’s Fall/Winter 2013-14 Show was inspired by royalty, complete with this jewel encrusted wedding dress. Photo courtesy of Reuters.
While July typically signals denim cutoffs and flip flops to the rest of the world, this month marks one of the most anticipated weeks in high fashion. Paris Haute Couture is one of the industry’s most coveted indulgences with collections representing the ultimate in luxury, creativity, and craft. The Fall / Winter 2013-4 designs presented a range from the chic escapism associated with couture to the more accessibly exquisite.
Viktor & Rolf presented their first couture collection in 13-years set in an imaginary Japanese garden where the models, dressed in black, were the stones. Photo courtesy of Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images.
Standout shows included the ever iconic Karl Lagerfeld whose modern cityscape, framed by a Paris in decay, set the scene for Chanel’s fashion forward collection of 3-D embroidered gowns and signature suits. The Kaiser insinuated the future of fashion goes beyond Paris, Milan, and London, and this sentiment was echoed in Raf Simons’ collection for Christian Dior. The looks were divided into four geographic areas, (Europe, Asia, America, and Africa) each with it’s own distinct aesthetic, connecting each culture to Dior.
Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2013. Photo courtesy of REUTERS/Charles Platiau.
Less message and more mesmirizing were both the series of feminine,ethereal, neutrally-shaded gowns from Armani Privé and, on the opposite end of the spectrum, Donatella Versace’s body rocking collection that left barely enough to the imagination.
While the odds of one of these incredible designs ever making it into our closet are pretty slim, check out a few of our favorite looks below!
