“Upper Chic” editorial featuring Nadja Bender for Vogue Paris, February 2013.

Photo by Knoepfel and Indlekofer.

If Couture Fashion Week in Paris is a good indicator of what our Spring might look like we can certainly say that we are up for a white Spring ahead! Almost all from Alexis Mabille to Valentino showed at least one full white outfit for upcoming Spring season.

I don't know what your stand is on wearing white but I must say that I almost never wore full white outfit, partly for fear of looking wider but also due to the fact that during work week I wear one outfit for the whole work day and I am not so sure that full white outfit would stay white all through the day.

Nevertheless, I decided to give it a shoot after seeing these amazingly wearable couture pieces shown on Paris runway during last couple of days. For the start, I am looking for white stilletoes to get in the full white mood periodically.

Photo source: www.style.com | Bouchra Jarrar Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Dior Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Chanel Spring 2013. Couture

In this post you can see my selection of whites from Paris Couture Spring 2013. Fashion Week with my favorite being Hollywood adorned, floor lenght, delicate Elie Saab pieces featuring stunning beading on silk and lace. 

Photo source: www.style.com | Elie Saab Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Elie Saab Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Elie Saab Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Giambattista Valli Spring 2013. Couture

I loved recognizable Valentino pieces featuring his one of a kind cuts and heavy duty hand work on embroidery and piping. Absolutely magical show!

Photo source: www.style.com | Valentino Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Valentino Spring 2013. Couture

Photo source: www.style.com | Valentino Spring 2013. Couture

Surely, I cannot forget my always favorite McQueen lead by extraordinary Sarah Burton who is faitfully following late Alexanders signature with her all white Pre-Fall 2013. collection as the house canceled Paris show this year.

                               Photo source: www.style.com | McQueen Pre-Fall 2013.

                                 Photo source: www.style.com | McQueen Pre-Fall 2013.

The common theme for the Fall Couture 2012. Fashion Week was surely this new Noir we are seeing across collections. This is what I loved the most - gorgeous luxurious gowns made of expensive French empire lace flirting with vintage silhouettes. 

ELIE SAAB

Known by his red carpet gowns didn't disappoint. Collection consisted solely of gowns and cocktail dresses rich with Chantilly lace, sequins and crystals. Collection was mostly black smaller number of pale pink, blue and gold lace pieces. 

ZUHAIR MURAD

This Lebanese designer has entered the "red carpet star dressing" world by dressing young actress Blake Lively and singer-actress Jennifer Lopez on her tour. His bellow shown Fall 2012. couture collection is obviously targeting 20+ young starlets with shown cocktail dresses and red carpet gowns with emphasized waiste, high cut maxi gowns and long lace numbers. I particularly love the old Hollywood 50's glam one can sense from this collection. Murad did not forget about his more conservative a bit older clients, designing a nice versatile range of gorgeous, finely embroidered gowns. 

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA

This "Artisanal" collection was about reinventing, refurbishing vintage pieces by hand into new designs. Collection was rich with silk, lace, row cotton and beaded pieces embellished with destroyed and "refurbished" pieces like crystal doorknob, windsurfing sail and vintage baseball glows - far right on the photo. 

My favorite (of course on top of mysterious crystal masks) were simple French lace straight trousers worn on couple of models while most of the attention was drawn by comprehensive pieces worn on top of the body.

JEAN PAUL GAULTIER

Inspired by 20's, 30's and Metropolis JPG showed us quite an interesting collection featuring metal headbands, top hats and perfectly cut garments. For my liking, it was a bit to much this time, it was a bit to over the top and confusing with having to many men's pieces overlapping with women's insinuating androgynous look but in a quite annoying and over the top way. All of the individual pieces are made with amazing precision and craftsmanship and can definitely look brilliant worn separately.  

Photo by Delfine Archard via www.wwd.com 

ALEXANDRE-VAUTIER

This collection is clearly made for "look at me" kind of girl, reminding on as one fashion journalist wrote "golden age of disco" however I liked the elements of it very much and find them quite wearable, well at least on special occasions and naturally if you have body for it.

I particularly liked the sporty fabric mixes (Neoprene) and lovely tailored peplum jackets which I would wear with skinny jeans and plunge-necked cocktail long sleeve dresses which could be pulled out by girls with not so big chest. 

                                          All photos source: www.wwd.com; www.style.com

 I am really looking forward to seeing these pieces in magazine editorials! Which collections was your absolute favorite lovelies?

So many things happened since past September, yet it feels like it was just yesterday. I still feel the excitment of the fashion buzz surounding the Bryant Park during the last couple of days before the opening night, the adrenalin rush from my  fifth cup of 100 cal Caffe Misto, the shooting pain coming from the tip of my toes after wearing the nude color stilettoes all day and the cold autumn breeze on my bear arms and legs.

This vivid memory evokes two completely different emotions in me. The rush and the energy the streets of the City give you which just make you want to continuously move and never stop - which I loved.  Other is the emptiness and hopeless feeling of never working hard enough and the question of purpose of it all - this feeling came after I realized that even the rush giving New York in all of its fabulousness cannot cure the broken heart.

This year I am able to still be in the center of it all while still on safe emotional distance and no fear of getting hurt. Many of the shows will be broadcasted live through livestraming so go on ladies prepare some fat free cupcakes, invite your girlfriends and give yourself a nice recession friendly gift of luxury and watch NY Fashion Week shows from the best seat possible - your comfy chair at home. Check out the complete schedule of shows live straming here.

This year is the last time New York Fashion Week (2/11 -02/18) is organized in Bryant Parks tent, from next season its new home is going to be Lincoln Center. Due to the way designers are following new technologies (Ex.Alex McQueen started last season) and utilizing new ways of showing their collections, Lincoln Centar is indeed more suitable location.

I am really looking forward to see all of the shows. For fabulous minute to minute coverage be in the front row daily.

At the end I leave you with words of mama Fashion herself:

"Bryant Park became the beacon of what New York fashion stands for - an industry that's fearless, tireless, and always moving forward."

~Anna Wintour~

xoxo,

           Kat