Paris Couture Spring 2015 April 19 2022

With the Paris spring 2015 Couture shows just wrapping up last week, I’d say we’ve got an exciting season ahead of us. The collections ran the gamut—romantic and ethereal to retro and space-age, but many certainly elicited a wow factor reaction.

Versace’s collection—while rather tame in terms of the line, still managed to seem utterly Versace. Although the colors were basic—almost strictly primary colors—the peekaboo dresses with swirls and swaths of cut-outs were enough to recognize the distinctiveness of the label. Donatella Versace said of the collection, “The world is such a complicated, difficult place right now, that I think women need clothes that are very precise, and focused, and that let her be herself.” Amen to that! (Although I think the peekaboo dresses were perhaps a little too precise and focused to me to pull off, if you get my drift. Kate Hudson showed up to the show in a bright red one and created quite a stir with the press. I could definitely pull off the medusa-head-shaped minaudières models walked down the runway with, though.)

The sets for the runways themselves have become a major part of a designer’s collection. Elie Saab’s runway, set in a forest of trees and foliage, saw model after model dressed in the most stunning sheer, sparkling, flowing, floral, muted-toned dresses. I loved the painted floral designs, the thin-belts at the waists, and the sheer uneffortless beauty.

Karl Lagerfeld transformed his runway into a bullseye, with a manmade botanical garden—white, with splashes of pink, yellow, orange…–at its center and outside edges. Male model “gardeners” were even on site to help ensure things were growing well—what more do you need, anyway? Much of the outfits sent down (or in this case, around) the Chanel runway had a distinctive floral look to them—I loved the wide-brimmed hats covered in tulle, and the exaggerated, multi-dimensional flowers that adorned many outfits.

Raf Simons’ runway for Dior was a maze of scaffolding and pink-carpeted stairs. The collection featured throw-backs to the 1960s and 1970s and the label’s famous New Look, but was also distinctly space-ageish. The collection featured bright colors, strong geometric prints, distinct cinched waists and full skirts, mod dresses, thigh-high vinyl boots with clear heels…if ever there was a clear reference to the past, this was it.

Giambattista Valli presented a gorgeous pink dress with a narrow bodice, as A-line as A-line can get, and Valentino a truly stunning navy strapless gown with golden falling stars. Schiaparelli presented its first couture collection since the label’s creative director Marco Zanini left the company last year. Described by the designers as an “ode to self-confidence,” the collection gave a distinct nod to Eastern traditions while managing to still evoke Schiaparelli.

In my eyes, the spring collections ultimately set the stage for the coming year—with the Paris shows this year, I’d say it’s going to be a good year. What did you think?

written by Heather Cox for Rice and Beans Vintage