I love watching Haute Couture shows, because they always manage to put me in a state of awe and shock. Haute Couture looks are always unbelievably remarkable- always elegant, detailed, fresh, and electrifying. When you watch the shows, with different backgrounds and settings paired with music, the ambiance of each show is even more stunning. Recently it was Paris Haute Couture fashion week, and each designer gave off such a flawless show. The following are highlights of the week as well as my top favorite shows.
Georges Hobeika’s designs are so beautiful and graceful. Although the set up of the show wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, his pieces were glowing. Hobeika has a very feminine style, with a lot of pinks, purples, golds in his color palette, as well as many florals. Florals are used with most designers, but he executes his style of florals so uniquely. His fabrics are also very fine, with luxurious silks and lace adorned with crystals and pearls. Every look created an image of a goddess, with the flowy yet solid fabrics. For example, he paired a very embellished item such as a jacket with a flowy dress underneath, to further create contrast between simple and fancy. I love how on some looks, Hobeika included wooden clothes pins lining the sleeves or the backs of the dresses. This definitely created a contrast with the traditional, elegant dress, yet still went really well with the dresses, as if they were just another typical appliqué item. You can view the whole show here and see a slideshow of the looks here. 
Elie Saab is an impressive designer who always wows with his intricately created dresses. Usually his work is more feminine and sugary, but in this show, a darker and spicier side was exhibited. This show was greatly inspired by New York City, which was prevalent in the neon skyline backdrop, the city’s siren and horn sounds being played, and his NYC inspired looks. The looks were centered around black, gold, and blue, as well as a touch of pink. However, the color that is the most dominant is black, perhaps a shoutout to the monochromatic world of New York City, and also embodying a darker mood. Silhouettes of birds flew across many dresses, and each dress flowed behind the model beautifully. Some common fabrics that were used for the looks included mesh topped with appliqué and velvet, creating a serious tone of elegance. Elie Saab also had a few models accompanied by a young girl who wore the same dress, with only a few minor details altered to fit the young model, something different for a haute couture designer show. You can watch the full show here and a slideshow of looks here. 
Chanel had a presentation that quite successfully embodied the brand’s aesthetic. The fabrics and silhouettes of the looks were very familiar for Chanel, but Karl Lagerfeld, creative director and head designer, continued to take the brand’s legacy to another level. The pieces were a bit more feminine with a few floral details and other sparkly additions, yet they continued to retain boyish moods in the silhouettes and appearances of the looks. For the backdrop, Karl shipped off the entire Chanel atelier to the runway, creating a stimulation of the work and effort put into each look. He had the staff continue to work, accompanied by sewing machines, cutting tables, fabrics, mannequins, mirrors, etc. It created a realistic perspective that exposed the most crucial setting for any show. Instead of portraying the looks in a fantasy world, the atelier was raw and down-to-earth, but still very magical. View the show here and see the slideshow of looks here. 
Fendi absolutely blew my mind. Having just visited Rome, seeing the models float across the sparkling water of Trevi Fountain, with the grand marble architecture in the background made me so emotional. This show was heavenly, breath taking, and the greatest masterpiece. Each design of the clothes was so elegant and beautiful, especially accentuated with the details in patterns and appliqué. The crystal bridge of a runway made the models appear as if they were walking on water. This show took my breath away, with each look so impeccably created, on top of being presented at the greatest venue. This show was in celebration of Fendi’s 90th anniversary and the looks were inspired by a book of fairytales. The head designer and creative designer, the legendary Karl Lagerfeld said, “It was in a way the mood of my childhood, the Northern fairy tales… I called the show Legends and Fairy Tales, because it’s a collection that doesn’t relate to everybody like ready-to-wear, this is very special for people who have a special kind of life.” And indeed, with all of the elements of the fountain paired with the looks, it was a enchanting, new burst of life. Watch the show here and slideshow of looks here.