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.

Dior Fall 2006 Couture

Galliano's show opened with dresses with armored sleeves. Notice the hip volume is shown at Dior as well.



Beautiful draping with square copper sequins which always seem sparklier than the round ones.



A very solid little jacket, highly embellished, and a fish hat, which is quite adorable.



Another almost articulated jacket, with another "scaly" hat.



Yes, it's a Lobster Suit & Hat, but I love the skirt and the jacket body, stripping away all the articulated parts; sleeves, shoulders and peplum. The embroidery is just lovely.



Obviously, she's a topiary tree, but the interesting part is that the loops on the skirt are made from dyed horsehair braid.



A very striking draped dress with an elegant horizontal line.



A beautifully tailored cocktail jacket. He's showing a lot of leggings, and of course here's the shoulder and hip volume again.



A witty hair ornament a la Artemis.

Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2006 Couture

A very demure fur and leather suit.


An elegant dinner suit with an unusual ornament and collar shape.


A very interesting layered collar on a nice jacket shape. Beading is everywhere.


There are a lot of skirts around with these side panels, but this is the first one that has a graceful look to it.


A perfectly covered-up Little Black Dress, but the photo below shows the ribbon and organza "ribs & spine" up the back.


The back of the LBD above, and a very luxe fur, which has its own secret shown below.


Corset lacing on the back.


Another lovely dinner suit with fur collar and trim. The jacket styles are getting easier, and more naturally sized.


A real Papageno jacket.


A beautiful chiffon dress with possibly a matching coat lining.


More armored dresses, but this time with reptile and chiffon.


A very much bejeweled bustier and wide-leg pants.


An aptly-named illusion panel on this dress, with unique bracelets.


Draped velvet with a fox stole.


His unique shoe shape this season.


A very severe coat with one bird sleeve popping up.


More of the added hip volume which shouldn't be so attractive, but it certainly is.



Intriguing toile-type print dress with an attached scarf.


All That Glitters....may not be exactly what it appears to be. A lamé jacket becomes a sequined jacket with armadillo collar and fur skirt.

Givenchy Fall 2006 Couture

Riccardo Tisci is new to Givenchy and to the Couture. He seems to be trying a taste of this and of that, and getting his feet wet in an interesting, yet not completely coherent collection. His trials of the technical skills of his house are quite impressive, and it will be very interesting to see to what use he puts them in future collections.


Some interesting seaming and pleat details on a fairly classic suit.


A little homage to "old" Givenchy in this silhouette.


And even more in this fur-collared velvet belted cape.


An interesting jacket with piped tucks, sequined sleeves on the top, and interesting seaming on the pants.


Highly textured knitted sleeves under this cape-top coatdress.


Mink shearling as tortoise shell "armor".


A very unusual leather dress.


Here's the "editorial" piece of the show, and it is unusual, and very intriguing. It appears to be a very soft leather, or possibly a felt. Close up below.



Very Art Deco.


Here's a complete departure in style, and with the juxtaposition of leather and chiffon, it does run the gamut.


Very sculptural.

Christian Lacroix Fall 2006 Couture

A very unusual coat silhouette in an unusual color for Lacroix.


A luxe anorak with fur sleeve insets.


An elegantly slim, beautifully beaded coat with a lovely dress underneath. The pattern on the dress looks almost like a discharge technique on velvet, corduroy or some napped fabric.


Lacroix's take on the Oriental influence in the air this season. You can see the details of the fabulous embroidery below.



A wonderful quilted coat. You can see the amazing quilting on transparent fabric below. The quilted collar is gold, as is all the quilting, and the batting shows through. The sleeves add more than a little volume.



A couture confection of a skirt. Just a lovely dress.



What an interestingly pleated and tucked blouse.


This close up shows the wonderful pleating techniques on a blouse and skirt, with a heavily beaded jacket.


A charming cocktail dress with a fin-de-siècle feel to it. Notice the lovely hairline seams on the close up below. I'm not so sure about the draped tucks on the skirt, but they're interesting.



A classic sundress design for evening.


A wonderfully elegant brocade and velvet ensemble.


Another sweetly feminine blouse under all. Great skirt too.


Just like a wedding cake, and so pretty.


One of those falling-off-the-shoulders-elegantly dresses, but with invisible spaghetti straps for security. Luscious draping.


Great color, great draping, and such a light hand.


Fabulous handpainted fabric on a lovely dress.


Fortuny pleating in a dress which somehow evokes an Edwardian nightgown.


Kate Greenaway/Jane Austen echoes in this almost peignoir-like gown and coat.


A beautiful, rather simple silhouette.


Another impromptu-looking draped fantasy.


The intricately tucked, asymmetric bodice contains the control elements for this striking design.


The shape makes me think of de la Renta, but the details are all Lacroix.

Chanel Fall 2006 Couture

Black velvet suit with graduated white satin bows.


A charming little black & white number. So high-waisted she almost looks like she's on stilts. Very cute wide bound edging on both jacket and skirt.


Bejeweled buttons are everywhere, along with coordinating brooches with dangles. Many of the fabrics are just as encrusted as this coatdress. Again, it's worn with thigh-high denim boots.


The shoulders are getting a little broader, and the upper sleeves a little wider. Fringed edges are still everywhere, and double layer hems are also ubiquitous.


Charming version of a cutaway coat. Below, you can see the favored sleeve cap seam in a close up, as well as the fringed edges.





A darling suit with wonderful yarn fringe trim, very closely fitted.


A cap-sleeved winter dress with fingerless gloves. Same shoulder/yoke seam. You can see a few more details below.




A rather simple, and very wearable suit.


Classic Chanel tucked blouse, with a jeweled belt and skirt. Details below.




More with the iconic bows. A very cute coat with satin binding.


A very graceful suit. My favorite so far, and very classic. A close up below. Is the binding satin or leather?




Gilded tweed with embroidery, fringe, and beading


A beautiful evening coat.


Quite the Eastern influence here.


The armorial theme comes to the fore.


Van Gogh anyone?


I do think you'd have to change the proportions without the boots. A very interesting bodice drape, which you can see below.



A tour de force with ribbon.


Kind of a cute trapeze shape, and you can really see the wider, tapered sleeve below.




Fabulously encrusted, with of course, the close up.




A very slim style.


An entirely new proportion.


Very modern looking with the patterned pants.


More on top of more, on top of more. Details of the fabulous handwork below, and the adorable shoes.




And the bride to finish!