Elie Saab Couture Fall 08

The Fall 08 Couture shows have come in gone in a whirlwind of exquisite draping, beading, and embroidery. The couture shows are always the most fun to watch because they are the most theatrical, the most dramatic, the most artistic. The Fall shows did not disappoint. I already posted about Chanel and Valentino, but here’s a round up of highlights and some of my favorite looks from Armani Prive, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix, and Elie Saab.

All Images: Style

More photos after the jump . . .

Elie Saab knows how to make a dress. His show featured one gown more beautiful than the next that it was very difficult for me to choose favorites to highlight here. His gowns are gorgeous and feminine and are meant to be worn to the most exclusive of occassions. It was basically one Oscar gown after another. The palette was inspired by Michelangelo’s Renaissance art with earth tones and sky blues. In fact, one gown had a sky print on the skirt that was very reminiscent of a Roman sky.

Christian Lacroix has a flair for the the theatrical. You know that his clothes will be over-the-top, have so much going on, but still have a very polished look. His inspiration seemed to come from a few different eras, there was a bit of Marie Antoinette/French Revolution in there, mixed in with some punk and matador styling. I know, it sounds weird, but it works. My favorite part of his collection was the lace veiled headpieces.

The Givenchy collection was very subdued and muted but with very rich details like lots of fur and lace.

The Armani Prive collection was a small departure from what we usually see from Giorgio Armani. His weird little hats were nowhere to be seen. He did have his signature modern day power suits but the most striking thing about the collection was his use of bows - big ones - on everything. I love bows, but for some reason, it seemed weird coming from Armani. I guess I see him as the “serious woman’s” designer that makes beautifully tailored clothing but that is not too sugary-feminine. I feel like his bows cast him in a different light for me, but all in all it was a nice collection.

Christian Dior Couture shows are always impressive - John Galliano’s imagination and expertise always take us off to faraway lands and time periods. This collection was a mish-mash of the 1950’s Dior “New Look” with cinched waists and exaggerated hips with a bit of 1920s flapper with dropped waist silhouettes and cloche hats. The collection started out in black and white and then had splashes of leopard and sherbet colors added in. The gowns were exquisite though some were very sheer and I’d be curious to see how they’d be worn off of the runway. This was a great all-around show and everything from the clothing accessories, makeup and manicures was beautiful to watch.

Similar Posts:

• Paris Spring Couture Collections
• If I Was A Rich Girl: Vintage Christian Dior
• Treizeor: Bows for Ladies & Gents
• Juicy Couture Village Opening Friday - 01.19.2007
• “Nan Kempner: American Chic” Opens Today at the de Young Museum in San Francisco

Tags: armani prive, Chanel, christian dior, christian lacroix, ellie saab, fall 08 couture, Givenchy, valentino