Lorenzo Riva Fall 2006 Italian Couture

A very elegant suit in a lovely fabric.



One of the more successful bubble skirts that I've seen.



A beautifully draped evening column.



Here are this season's popular lace overlay and bows, but in a much longer jacket length than usual.



A very dramatic look.

Raffaella Curiel Fall 2006 Italian Couture

Images in this post courtesy of Donna Moderna.


A very different approach, with slouchy ease in pants under a skirt.



Very pretty dress fabric, with a defined waistline.



Unique embellishment, and what a hat!



Scallops in flannel with lace recall Lang.

Elie Saab Fall 2006 Couture

A very pretty lace and velvet confection.



The slouchy jacket with cocktail dress looks fresh.



A pretty cover up.



Some of the beautiful lace used by Saab.



A beautiful off-shoulder velvet column dress.



An ambitious bodice with a graceful skirt shape.



Spiral flounces in printed chiffon.



Lovely geometry.



"Painted on" lamé is enticing.



A fabulous printed skirt.



Demure enough for an ingénue, but oh that beading!



Casual glamour; very American.



Very pretty in petrol blue.

Armani Privé Fall 2006 Couture

A beautiful coat with pleated zigzag stripes and a half double collar, with matching dress.



Quite the commanding collar on this slim coat with python touches.

Lovely slim pants in an intriguing fabrication with the above coat.



A nice striped jacket with an unusual closure which he is using a lot this season. You can see a close up below.




Beautiful use of dual fabrics in a jacket. He seems to be all about pleats this year.



Glen-plaid and python, with a great belt, and some very sharp tailoring.



Another reptile jacket with a unique collar. The skirt fabric looks like tiny scales, although it may be a kind of piqué.



This is very striking.



Another pleated collar, but with a very unusual top.



An interesting print used with the lace.



A very interesting positive/negative effect, and with an unusual cut.



A lovely gown, with a dragonfly hat.



A very modern evening suit.



A beautiful gown with waist insets to echo the halter shape, and a lovely, shaped hem.



An unusual evening coatdress with many unusual elements including the front closures, the graduated tucking, and the shaped cuffs.

Valentino Fall 2006 Couture

We're all ready for coats, and here's a beautifully embroidered coat with a Russian influence, and crystal pleating as trim. I think the back view below is instructive as well, for his handling and placement of the embroidered motifs. How much more wearable this is than full embroidery on the back as well as the front, and yet it looks as perfectly imagined as the front.

This dress with tucks as a control is interesting as well.



Typically interesting use of stripes, a wide bowed belt, and the first really flattering wide, gathered sleeves I've seen lately. That's the lace blouse showing below the jacket, with 3 rows of rickrack trim at the bottom.



Horizontally tucked skirt with an embellished tiny jacket.



Zip-front, fur-trimmed coat with a pointed hem. I love the lace at the bottom of the stand-up collar, visible below.




A rather simple dress with a beautiful lace peplum and sleeves. You can see the raw tulle edges below, and the tiny tulle shoulder pads in the sleeves. Lightness is paramount, and there is nothing other than the probably substantial weight of the beading and lace itself to hold this down.




The ruffle hemmed skirt suit is still with us, and looking very current.



Very interesting re-embroidered fabric in this suit with a ruched satin band around the jacket, and a lovely color.



Lace appliqué on tweed with a fichú effect.



A velvet-trimmed, beautifully embroidered suit with an invisible closure, so as not to spoil the lines of the embroidery.


A fur-edged lace shrug with a smocked dress, as well as a look at the back of the previous suit. Note the darling back detail on the shrug in the photo below.



A gorgeous lace jacket with fur and ribbon trim over an embroidered skirt. You can see a close up of the luscious fabric below. The lace is backed with a pink satin.




A severe coatdress style in a gorgeous fabric.



A beautifully cut lace skirt, with sleeves to match. There's a close up of the skirt fabric and waistband below.




An interestingly paneled dress.



Ultra-feminine, with its own corsage on the bolero.



An unusual take on the babydoll top.



A classic winter evening look.