Fashion Week Series – Biggest Trends From Haute Couture Week

It’s that time of the year again when the fashion world gets even better and a whole new load of trends are born; it is Fashion Month, and I am incredibly excited. Last Fashion Month I debuted a new series on my blog, my Fashion Week Series (feel free to read my posts on NYFW, LFWF Outfit Diaries, LFW, MFW, PFW and my Post Fashion Week Wishlist) and I am delighted to confirm that I’m bringing it back for this season’s Fashion Month.

I am kicking off the series with a review of the biggest trends from Haute Couture Week, one of my favourite parts of fashion, to see what trends we can expect this season. As the couture collections directly influence the current season, and are also based off the previous fashion weeks, it is so interesting to compare these trends to the ones I predicted last year!

BLACK

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Black was the key colour of the Spring couture shows, as nearly every single collection included the colour black within it. Black is a timelessly classy colour, but isn’t one that we typically see a lot of in Spring; nevertheless it cropped up again and again in so many different looks. This first look, from Christian Dior’s collection, includes a soft and luxurious black velvet across the dress. Although velvet is a material more typically linked to winter I could see it working in the colder months of Spring. Giambattista Valli’s netting and ruffle dress is a gorgeous piece complete with immense detail and embroidery, combined with sheer black elements and beautiful puffed sleeves. Givenchy’s floor length black gown is similar to that often seen in Elie Saab’s design, complete with delicate lace and layered soft, loose ruffles in sheer black lace. The final black look I’ve focused on is Jean Paul Gaultier’s black formal suit; the blazer trend is going nowhere this Spring and I love the formal tone that this creates. The more feminine, decadent black beaded and sequin adorned blouse adds a very 1920s touch to this look.

SHEER BLACK

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As a continuation from the black trend, sheer black is also a major focus this season. This sexy and seductive trend hints at the soft skin underneath and adds a touch of raw femininity to any outfit. This layered ruffle dress from Alberta Ferretti is one of her simpler pieces, but I love the classic simpleness of it. The layered sheer material almost provides an opaque canvas, but the almost entirely sheer bodice brings back the sheer trend to the forefront of the look. The second dress from Alexis Mabille’s collection features the black sheer trend down the sides of this structured, corset-like dress to compliment the shape of the model. Christian Dior’s almost entirely sheer crinoline inspired dress is one of my favourite looks from Couture Fashion Week, as a lover of contour fashion this inclusion of crinolines makes me so happy. The sheer material leaves the crinoline almost entirely exposed, adding to the vintage flair of this look. Finally, this extravagant gown from Ronald van der Kemp includes a full skirt made from black sheer material combined with an intricate and full bodice. This juxtaposition use of material simply amplifies the sheerness of the skirt.

BABY BLUE

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Baby blue is one of the main traditional ‘Spring colours’ included in this Couture Week’s colour palette. Elie Saab’s gorgeous sequin and embroidery adorned baby blue suit, with a cascading ruffle detail, is a breathtaking example of the beauty of this colour. This second piece from Georges Hobeika’s stunning collection shows off gorgeously intricate baby blue embroidered detailing in a 1950s inspired full skirt, with the addition of delicate gloves. The next example is from Ralph & Russo’s collection, which is as decadent as it is detailed; the flowing, weightless look of this dress adds to the ethereal, almost dream-like quality of baby blue which makes you feel like you’re floating through a beautiful, clear blue sky. Finally, this baby blue suit from Schiaparelli incorporates a heavily quilted suit where even the neck tie accessory is in the ever popular baby blue.

RED

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Another big colour of the season is red, which was seen across so many different runway collections. This first leather look red piece by Armani Prive shows off the focus colour in three different ways; from the leather look dress to the softer netting ruffles and the addition of a leather hat. Guo Pei’s Asian inspired collection includes red as one of its main colours, for example in this full pleated skirt; the combination of red and gold, which ties in to the metallics trend, is an infamously glamorous colour combination and it works so well in this look. Iris van Herpen’s look, complete with insanely fluid red dresses is an explosion of this trend; this look is so unique, I love it. This final look from Jean Paul Gaultier shows off the red trend in a beautiful full gown with sheer red ruffles and delicate bodice details.

FEATHERS

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Feathers will forever be a glamorous addition to an outfit and in true classy Chanel style this first piece with a feather covered bolero incorporates this trend perfectly, plus this is a perfectly wearable way to wear this trend. I am in love with this gorgeous look from Giambattista Valli is made of a gorgeous dress covered entirely in light and delicate blush pink feathers, paired with a simple fascinator in the same colour; this is such a decadent and timeless look. Schiaperelli’s creation can only be described as a colourful feather explosion, and I love it. The pairing of red and purple is a rare one but it works perfectly in this dress and shows that feathers are definitely a trend we’re going to be seeing in our wardrobes very soon. Valentino’s hot pink addition to the feather trend is such a unique use of them, to add further detail to heavy embroidery, and I love how it bulks up the look but in a light and airy way. This would be such a wearable way to wear this, especially tied into knitwear.

RUFFLES

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Ruffles is always going to be a trend I can get into; it is one of the most fabulous and feminine trends out there. Balmain’s almost iridescent ruffles glisten and fall in a way that is almost magical, I love this use of ruffles as they seem to move and fall in a majestic way. The second piece is from Ulyana Sergeenko’s collection and I love the almost Western vibe I get from this; the use of sheer material combined with delicate ruffles gives off a vibe of femininity from times gone by and I can’t wait to see how this ties in with modern fashion. Viktor & Rolf’s collection was almost entirely made up of ruffles and this overly ruffled, flamboyant gown is no different. The use of smaller, tighter ruffles across the bodice and top part of the skirt flatter the form and the larger, looser ruffles along the bottom add flounce and character to the gown. Zuhair Murad’s ruffled coat gives off ‘Russian Heiress’ vibes and I love it; the use of only ruffles could have potentially looked tacky but this looks incredibly classy.

METALLICS

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Metallics are set to be a big trend this season according to the Spring Couture collections and I for one am excited. I’ve always thought of metallics as a rather tacky trend but these gorgeous works of art from these couture collections have shown me that it can in fact be a beautiful look. This fully metallic suit from Alberta Ferretti combines the suit trend, which I’ve noticed cropping up in the stores recently, and this would look oh so fabulous at a special occasion. The gold sparkly dress from Dior’s beautiful collection shows off the metallic trend in a very 1920/1930s inspired style, as I’m picking up major flapper girl and art decor vibes from this piece. Dundas’ sparkly metallic jumpsuit shows another wearable way of styling up this trend; the rather muted metallicness of this outfit works well and I like how the plunging neckline adds to the glamour of this outfit. The final piece, a gown from Givenchy that is almost entirely metallic, is such a glamorous way of wearing this trend. The metallic almost snake skin style print all across the bodice compliments the feminine shape and then softens into ruffles with metallic elements further down the skirt in true classy Givenchy style.

LEATHER

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Leather is often regarded as a rather harsh, masculine look but these collections made it look very beautiful. Armani Prive’s red and blue combination is a twist on the classic black leather look and I love the experimental aspect of it, which will hopefully inspire people to try out different coloured leathers. I actually used to own a pair of leather shorts like these ones from the Dundas collection I love the feminine flair that they possess whilst still looking very strong and almost manly. The entirety of this outfit is leather but still manages to look soft and flattering. This leather corset from Franck Sorbier’s ballerina inspired collection contrasts the typically soft and gentle ballet costumes and I honestly really like it. For me, leather always seems a little out of bounds but for it to be used in a ballerina’s costume then it is wearable for people who primarily wear very girly pieces like me. This last look is actually a menswear piece but as boiler suits are very much a trend, and this a variation of that trend, I thought I’d include it. It shows a completely leather one-piece and how badass it can look.

MY FAVOURITE LOOKS

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What is your favourite trend from Couture Week? Tell me in the comments below and stay tuned for all the trends from all the upcoming Fashion Weeks.

Love Chloe x