Paris Fashion Week has brought the Spring-Summer 2011 Haute Couture fashion shows to a close, following a whirlwind tour of international fashion weeks starting in New York, moving through London and Milan, and culminating in the French capital.
At Valentino, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli showed pretty clothes, emphasising maxi lengths, simple day dresses, and cool halter dresses in delicate lace, according to reports from The New York Times. Creamy lace, soft pleating and a palette of ivory, beige, powdery pink, mint, and a bit of Valentino red, dominated the runway.
At Dior, John Galliano showed extravagant dresses, mostly in the 1950s spirit of Penn, Avedon and Suzy Parker, while Givenchy’s collection by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci consisted of ten dresses inspired by the traditional Japanese art of butoh.
Chanel, renowned for its lavish fashion shows, set Karl Lagerfeld’s monochrome and pastel collection against a black and white formal garden setting. Powder pink, lemon and peach tones were set against black feathers and chunky bejewelled bangles.
Jean Paul Gaultier’s show was reported as one of the designer’s most imaginative, clashing London punk with Parisian elegance.