Christian Dior Couture Fall 2009

A very pretty portrait neckline with embellishments shown below.




A beautifully draped jacket.



This is a bubble skirt I really like. There are several in this collection, and they seem much more integrated into the whole than most skirts of this style do.



Great use of stripes.



A very pretty way of widening the shoulder. The detail below shows the interesting folds.




A very unusual jacket shape, with exposed darts on the collar.



Another multi-layer jacket with dotted tulle overlay on the inner layer.



A pretty asymmetric neckline.



An unusual bodice with almost a trompe l'oeil effect, and another cute bubble skirt.



Another beautiful bodice on this dress.



Isn't this skirt the most fun?

Giorgio Armani Resort 2010

Full cropped pants seem right for resort, but perhaps won't carry on through.



The same style does make a cute shorts silhouette.



Nice use of a large-scale print.

Chado Ralph Rucci Resort 2010

Here are those bell sleeves again.



Very pretty seaming details and I love the pockets.



Tied with a bow. How cute is this, and very wearable.



An iconic jacket shape.



Seemingly simple, yet with lots of intriguing and intricate details.



One of his favored dress shapes, but a bit more casual, and suitable for daywear.



Even more casual in feel, yet intricately constructed.




Faggotting with 'worms' for a very cute set.



So fresh looking. The pieced seaming is so pretty with this fabrication.



More obvious and possibly more impressive work, but ultimately, not as attractive.

Armani Privé Spring 2009 Couture

Beautiful in a pique weave print.



Another lovely belted suit with a great buckle.

Another thing I'm noticing about these suits is that they're using the princess seam/bust dart combination so often seen in Marfy patterns.



Beautifully cut jacket with great button/loop detail. I love the contrast lining.



A departure from the rest of the jackets, and very nice.



Great pockets.


An interesting lace top.



A nice boxy jacket with contrast collar and lapels, and interesting sleeves.



Dimensional lace embellishment.



Interesting treatment of a print. Detail below.

Anne Valérie Hash Spring 2009 Couture

I like the double front on this blouse. Detail below.




Interesting seaming and ruching, which you can see better below.




Small lace panels with intricate seaming.

Stéphane Rolland Spring 2009 Couture

Wonderful horizontal pleating.



Little Black Dress group.



More pleats and a dropped waist.



Interesting blend of very sheer and mens-wear influence.



An unusual lapel treatment.



Lovely draping and nice embellishment.



Unusual embellishment, but very effective.



Very dramatic.

Chanel Spring 2009 Couture

Beautiful braided trim, paper floral decoration, and look at the square shoulders throughout.



Pleated sheer sleeve godets.



Nice proportions with a cap-sleeve jacket.



Lots of horizontals and a nice matelasse.


A lovely spring costume.



Amazingly intricate fabric. It looks like it's constructed with ribbons, trims and embroidery.



Sequins and feathers.



Wonderful stripe manipulation, and the stripes are formed with bugle beads.



Glass-paper embroidery.



Very interesting cut and I love the pockets, below.




A very interesting skirt, but I'm not sure how flattering it is.

Christian Dior Spring 2009 Couture

I think this must be the dress with the 2500 meters of ribbon. Quite a tour de force, but I'm not sure it's terribly appealing. There is quite a group of skirts with this shape, which does not necessarily carry on all the way around the skirt.



More ribbon and a tulip skirt.


A very interesting sleeve treatment, with an extended flange over the shoulder and sheer sleeves underneath. Almost a medieval/renaissance construction.



Pretty choker holding the twist draping.



I like the top of this. Very interesting dart shaping and the curved hip seams are unusual, but seem to fit in. This cap sleeve is used a lot in this collection. Detail below.




He uses a lot of cartridge pleating in applied pieces, both on the skirt here, and on the bodice at the shoulder. Beautifully embroidered fabric.



This is just so appealing, and so young.



Control through pleating/gathering.



A very soft hem on the top.



Beautiful hip emphasis and embroidery.



Beautiful soft neckline and dimensional flowers.



Classic Dior ballgown.



I love the Delft embroidery on the inside of the skirt.




If you love beautiful fabric, you have to love this dress.



Interesting construction. It's all inside out, as are many in this collection, but how perfectly done. Love the wavy seam allowances. Details below.

Valentino Spring 2009 RTW

The third and final show by Alessandra Facchinetti, the designer who succeeded Valentino himself.


Interesting neckline trim. Detail below.




A cute little shorts-suit with more pretty trim/embellishment.


A pretty jacket with a very demure collar.


A pretty beaded bodice with a cute skirt drape.


A soft chiffon dress.


A beautifully draped jacket.


Another draped jacket. I think I'd like them with wide-leg pants in a matte fabric.


A more classic jacket style, with interesting chiffon accents that you can see much better in the photo below.

Marc Jacobs Spring 2009 RTW

There's a little bit of everything at Marc Jacobs.




Very interesting zip-front jacket with strap sleeves for extra interest and squareness. Sleeve detail is visible below.



Leather with a tweed contrast. Lots of skirts with this hobble-hem, bustle-back look. Detail below.




One of several sleeveless jackets, in a great fabric.



Sleeveless tunic with a bound-edged apron feel.



More bound edges.



Extreme layering.



A sweatshirt with a very structured shoulder.

Nicole Miller Spring 2009 RTW

Interesting drape on this top.



Lots and lots of prints in this collection.



An unlikely use for menswear fabric.



Great use of a border print.

Rachel Roy Spring 2009 RTW

Graphic detail on a nice sheath.



A cute little jacket.



An interesting sheer top.

Elie Tahari Spring 2009 RTW

A simple-chic dress.



Cute ruffled neckline on a very wearable tunic.

BCBG Max Azria Spring 2009 RTW

Lots of floaty drapery at Max Azria.



A nice evening look.



One of the "T-Shirt" dresses in the collection. Interesting draping.



Cute hem treatment.



More nice draping.



A very pretty jersey day dress.



Another nice, basic dress.

Chado Ralph Rucci Resort 2009 RTW

A sporty looking set.



A top with volume.



A beautiful collar on this lovely suit.



Pintucks or topstitching gives this a modern look.




A very Oriental effect in a stiff woven.



A great dress in the Claire McCardell vein.



A simple dress in a unique fabric.



Nobody does perfectly simple like Rucci.