Valentino: Couture AW18
Pierpaolo Piccioli served up a feast for the eyes at Valentino. Like a true master chef, he had all the right ingredients. The colours were delicious. Majestic capes and imposing taffeta and duchess satin gowns came in delectable shades of
Jean Paul Gaultier: Couture AW18
Warning: Smoking Kills. But Le Smoking can be positively life affirming. Jean Paul Gaultier based his couture show on the idea of tuxedo dressing and tuxedo attitude, both for men and women. The designer, who stepped away from ready-to-wear to
Fendi: Couture AW18
This house’s prowess with fur and leather is legend, but when it comes to couture, designer Karl Lagerfeld pushes craftsmanship to the limits of what’s humanly possible. At his behest, the Fendi atelier hand-painted fur coats in colourful abstractions inspired
Elie Saab: Couture AW18
If you are a woman in need of a big dress, call Elie Saab. The Lebanese couturier specialises in red carpet gowns and wedding dresses for international royals. His catwalk is lined with bejewelled clients, who shop directly from the
Maison Margiela: Couture AW18
“Nomadic glamour,” intoned John Galliano on his Maison Margiela artisanal pre-show podcast (a brilliant innovation - the designer explains his motivations and techniques in his distinctive, dramatic drawl). “We’re all nomads now,” he said and created layered-up looks as if
Giorgio Armani Privé: Couture AW18
Mr Armani was on a mission. “Conveying to the younger generation the true meaning of couture,” was the maestro’s intention. This 94-look collection was an epic exercise in show and tell. This is how it’s done, kids. Haute elegance, haute
Chanel: Couture AW18
No visit to Paris couture week is complete without a stroll by the Seine. Chanel recreated an atmospheric stretch of riverbank complete with handsome booksellers and a vast 100m long, painted backdrop of the Institut de France - one of
Dior: Couture AW18
Maria Grazia Chiuri likes to ask questions. When she started at the house, her big one was how to handle the Dior legacy? “We have to speak about femininity, but what does that mean today?” In answer, her quest has
Schiaparelli: Couture AW18
If you want reality go to Zara. This is haute couture - a world where pink flamingo feathered masks and floor length matching capes are served up with your morning coffee. From the very first look, Schiaparelli creative director Betrand
Givenchy: Couture AW18
History is nothing to be ashamed of. That was the message of Givenchy artistic director Clare Waight Keller who staged her couture show in the garden of the French National Archive - a place where the past resides. She named the