Pre-Haute Couture Reflection

It is that time of the year again, 2010 Fall Haute Couture week will begin on Monday in Paris!

This is the time when most revered luxury fashion houses in the world stage extravagant shows with most beautiful, and expansive clothes money can buy. Haute Couture represents the epitome of imagination, innovation, craftsmanship, elegance and luxury (Only the fashion houses that are certified by the French government can produce Haute Couture garments, and the garments must be hand-made by at least 5 seamstresses/tailors in Paris to be called a Haute Couture piece). Because of its extravagance, its focus on artistic and conceptual interpretations which often lead to ambiguity and impracticality, as well as its astronomical price (price of a Haute Couture garment is kept secret but generally speaking a blouse and a jacket costs around 20 000 American Dollars and embroidered dress costs about 100 000 American Dollars), Haute Couture is often regarded as promoting elitism and its relevancy in modern fashion industry, in which mass-produced garments became a norm for both wealthy and poor (Detailed Haute Couture garment can take up to 1000 hours until its completion) is in debate. There used to be more than 20 000 people involved in this industry right after the World War II and now the number is down to 4000 and it is decreasing. Chanel has been buying most of the ateliers and skilled artisans in Paris to ensure Haute Couture's survival, which is why Chanel's Haute Couture garments show breathtaking craftsmanship and incredible details.

With Lacroix's bankruptcy and Valentino's retirement, I have to admit recent Haute Couture weeks have been somewhat boring (also because of the recession) but we can always rely on Lagerfeld for elegance and Galliano for a drama.

There are about 17 haouses scheduled to show their Haute Couture collection but I personally think that there are only 7 houses that people should look out for.

On Monday 2:30pm in Paris, Dior will show its 2010 Fall Haute Couture collection at Musee Rodin. For two seasons, John Galliano staged Dior's Haute Couture collection at the Dior headquarters, presumably to reduce the cost of its production, but it is good to know there will be something new (at least for the location) this season. I had a dream about Dior Haute Couture collection. I saw a lot of black garments and mantiallas, which had obvious Spanish influences and rest of the collection looked very similar to it's 2009 Fall collection. I am hoping that my premonition is proven wrong.

Tuesday will begin with Armani Haute Couture collection at Espace Vendome at 11 am, followed by Givenchy at 4 pm(I hope Riccardo Tisci does more than 15 looks this time) and Chanel at 8 pm at the Grand Palais.

On Wednesday, Elie Saab will stage his show at 12:30 pm at Theatre National de Chaillot followed by Jean Paul Gaultier at 2:30 pm and 2010 Fall Haute Couture week will be closed by Valentino show at 7:30pm.

-Seph-