Paris Fashion Week Show Review: Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and more!

Hey Guys!

Some of the world’s most renowned designers showed during Paris Fashion Week, pushing the chic factor forward with cutting edge designs and eye catching concepts. In case you missed ‘em, here’s The Fashion Bomb’s review of Paris Fashion Week Spring 2010!

Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen is out of this world–both literally and figuratively. His designs tend to dance on the border of earthly and alienesque, but his unwavering sense of beauty always renders his collection easily digestible by the common man. His most recent collection saw horn haired models sunken into dresses that mirrored sea landscapes with deep ocean creatures peering out atop bodices and hems.

Eschewing the season’s almost insistence on neutrals, McQueen amped it up with patterned bright yellows, blues, and greens in short cocktail creations worn atop tusk like 12 inch rounded heels that could easily spell disaster with one small misstep.  The risk takers and risk averse could both find something in this collection, as the forward thinking patterns made traditional tailoring decidedly cutting edge.

Maison Martin Margiela

The theme was paper for Martin Margiela’s Spring 2010 show, with whisper thin high shouldered dresses, sharp cut trenches, and strapless dresses seemingly stapled and banded together as if part of an elementary school arts and crafts project.

Bolbous appendages and accoutrements jutted out from the front of belted jackets, but true edginess was only witnessed in the brand’s typical high shouldered pieces. Though the collection comprised white, pink, and an occasional floral print, I was a sucker for the basic black boots and jumpers.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Jean Paul Gaultier took it back to the 90’s for his newest collection, sending a noticeably diverse cast of models down the catwalk in denim suits, overalls, and tie dye leggings accessorized with doo rags, hoop earrings, hats, and around the way girl side pony tails. Fishnets, heeled combat boots, and easy dresses played in a color palette of indigo, army green, and bright orange.

Later on in the show, Gaultier harkened back to his Madonna “Truth or Dare” days with cone shaped corsets and peak shouldered tops. Though we’ve seen it all before, everything seemed new again, injected with revamped color, energy, and light.

Louis Vuitton

70’s disco chic sequined dresses, tasseled hiking bags, and gigantic multicolored afro wigs pumped down the runway for Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2010 collection. Fun plaid short suits and halter sundresses acted as mute canvases to bright pink cross body bags, sherbert colored backpacks, and paisley biker shorts.

Though the show’s haute hair gave off a Beyoncé as Foxxy Cleopatra vibe, I don’t think Bey would trade her Spring 2009 Spicy Sandals for this season’s fur adorned clogs and ankle boots! Head scratching accessories aside, I could see a few of the dresses and jackets as accents to relatively simple ensembles.

Chanel

It was a hoedown chez Chanel, with models surrounded by hay in a farm inspired backdrop. Though this season’s ubiquitous clogs made their way into the show, the country references ended there, as Lagerfeld offered smart nubby short dresses, traditional jackets, and skirts in a muted palette of virginal white, creamy ivory, and basic black, with the occasional pops of red, pale pink and blue.

While the clothes themselves seemed to follow traditional Chanel buttoned up conservative silhouettes, I fell in love with the stacked plexiglass bangles and modernized chain strapped handbags.

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci

Recession savvy fashionistas know the score: in a time of scarce resources, it’s best to invest in glamorous fashionable pieces in classic colors that can withstand the test of time. Riccardo Tisci’s Spring 2010 line offered patterned jackets, harem pants, and chiseled cocktail dresses in basic black and white seemingly geared towards the economic climate’s discerning fashion lovers.

Ruffle trimmed office ready belted jackets topped contrast leggings and billowing black pants with tuxedo stripes while alluring frothy dresses stood on their own in sheer simplicity. What the clothes lacked in color, they made up for in indisputable tailoring, subtle draping, and panels of sheer delight.

Gareth Pugh

From the dark makeup on the male and female models to the gray and black color palette, Gareth Pugh presented a decidedly somber forecast for Spring 2010. Structured soulless jackets topped skinny shirred leggings, with an occasional close fit frock thrown in for good measure.

Rihanna, who sat front row, wore a hemmed version of one of Pugh’s sheer paneled gowns, transforming a loose fit, somewhat uninspiring number into something fit for a pop siren and burgeoning fashion icon. I have a feeling that off the runway and in stores, Pugh’s collection with translate well into wearable separates that resonate with rocker chic trendsetters and their fashionable flocks.

Elie Saab

Beyonce won’t be disappointed in red carpet favorite Elie Saab’s indisputably chic collection, which overflowed with drool worthy lipstick red cocktails, crystal embellished blazers, and stunningly gorgeous draped gowns.

Typical awards show fare was punched up with one shoulder black dresses with large loose front bows and skin clinging jersey show stoppers. Hot!

John Galliano

Bold makeup, bright colors, and patterns collided for John Galliano’s 20’s flapper inspired undertaking. Dark lips pursed under veiled hats as bow front dresses in celery, royal blue, and burnt orange danced over knee socks and platform strapped shoes.

It was hard to focus on the clothes with the overwhelming number of pieces, attachments, and adornments. It seemed that one too many disparate pieces–ball plastered shoes, feather necklaces, and lace netting–were vying for our attention, thus creating a cacophonous score.

Balmain

Christopher Decarnin’s tennis ball shouldered military jackets launched a literal fever amongst Hollywood starlets, who raced to wear the $9,000 stunners with simple jeans and heels. With a spirit of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Balmain sent even more high shoulder jackets down their Spring 2010 runway, this time jazzed up with sequins, buttons, and flaps of leather.

Sizzling sequin cocktail dresses with cut outs added a bit of a diversion to Balmain’s thoroughly predictable pieces. It seems the brand is sticking to its blockbuster formula for yet another year.

Which was your favorite?
Photos via Style.com