Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010: Elie Saab and Valentino

Cowl Heaven...and Classique Couture Shapes...
Cowl Wrapped: Elie Saab Haute Couture F/W 2010/11

Lebanese-born, Red Carpet-favorite Elie Saab showed his Fall/Winter 2010/11 Haute Couture Collection. It was very HEAVY, both in its fabrications as well as dramatic draping. But to me, Heavy in a good way. There's no mistake: It's Fall kids.Deep red velvets, muted silver organza, dark camel silk crepes, degrade chiffon and lots of hand-beading rounded out the color and fabrications he offered this season to the "Ladies Who Live and Lunch In Kuwait" who love their Elie Saab Haute Couture. Shapes ranged from exaggerated pleated structures, cowl drapes galore, one-shoulder Grecian Goddess gowns and a play on asymmetry.Fashion writer Tim Blanks of Style.com was not amused by the collection. But, I have to say: I kind of liked it! Yes, some of those gowns looked as if the models were drowning in them (as Tim Gunn would say: That's A LOT of Gown!) but...I'm a big fan of cowl draping, the "Grecian Goddess" motif, and lots of drama (what part of Nick Verreos did you not understand!). And of course, if you have a couple $100,000 to spare and are getting married and thinking against the "traditional" white satin gown...Well, this gray-silver ball gown above might be what you might want to be ordering. Besides, Queen Rania of Jordan, the Multi-Millionaire Brides-to-be LOVE themselves some Elie Saab, as we know.

Click Below for Elie Saab F/W 2010/11 Haute Couture Runway Show Edited:


Valentino Haute Couture:
For Fall/Winter Haute Couture 2010/11, Designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli (above) decided to go "Vintage Couture". It was very 60's in a way, with 21st Century design nuances. Think Jackie O.-meets-Jessica Alba (who was in the front row). It was as if one was going through a "Valentino Archive Book" from the 60s--which, in a way is what the designers are most likely doing. The runway show began very "cagey" (see above) and then went 60's Valentino Couture.This black mini cocktail dress above with "exploding" organza rose is SO Valentino , SO Couture and yet, still SO modern. Also, it is very editorial and you just know Vogue Italia and Steven Meisel will EAT IT UP! The defining shape of the collection was definitely the trapeze off-the-body/Baby Doll shape and... The timeless "drop-waist". The Valentino Haute Couture F/W 2010/11 Collection showed LOTS of these latter styles, with ruffled bottoms that were cut right at the 16" below-the-natural-waist mark, which looked both "vintage" yet new (even if they seemed two sizes too big).
In case you are shopping for that Little Black Dress, look no further than Valentino Haute Couture. This one above was one of my favorites. Imagine being at a party in Capri in this fur-trimmed little number?Of course, being the House of Valentino, the designers had to end with a "Valentino Red" showstopper, and this red silk Gazar gown just about did it for me. If I was one of those ladies in the front row (or ordering from my beachfront home in the Seychelles), I would definitely order this one! Also, note to my friend Miss Heidi Klum: This would look GORGEOUS at any upcoming red carpet awards show! I'll have to call her and let her know...after I show her MY collection :)

Click below for a video of the Finale of the Valentino Haute Couture F/W 2010 Runway:

Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010: Chanel and Armani Prive

The Lion King...and (wait for it!) Old Hollywood is BACK!
Roar: The Giant Lion at Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010/11 Runway show

Karl Lagerfeld and Co. just showed the Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010/11 Collection in Paris and from the looks of it, it was business as usual--in terms of it being a Fashion Spectacle. What a quilted leather bag and perfume can buy you kiddies! In this case: A HUGE fashion show! And A TON of Young Hollywood. Front Row: Vanity Fair Fashion and Style Director Michael Roberts , NY Times' Cathy Horyn, Allure Editor-in-Chief Linda Wells (great pumps!), Suzy Menkes and actress Leighton Meester

Instead of HUGE quilted Chanel No. 5 Bottles (like last Haute Couture F/W Fashion Week), Lagerfeld filled up the Grand Palais stage with an immense lion. No, not because he was inspired by Disney's "Beauty and The Beast" or "The Lion King", but it represented the Leo in Coco Chanel. The show even ended with a Lion-headed male model escorting his stunning Chanel Couture-clad beauty (above). In terms of fashion, it was all VERY Fall: Maroon, deep reds, camel, heavy tweeds, wools and fur. Real fur darling, it's COUTURE.
A lot of his looks played with varying proportions: Cropped 3/4 sleeved tweed jackets with blouson-long sleeved blouses and below-the-knee gored skirts. Very Couture Dowdy. Not sure how front-row attendee Leighton Meester would look wearing this above ensemble, but if she wants, she would totally end up on the FugGirls site in a hot minute!For evening, Lagerfeld showed No Gowns (gasp!), but instead, elegant lady-like full-skirted calf-length ensembles like this fire-red satin one above, as well as...Heavily beaded shift chemises with matching cropped jackets. Love those Couture Booties! The House of Chanel isn't necessarily known for the gowns. Look elsewhere for that all you multi-millionaire Debutantes.

Click Below for Chanel Haute Couture F/W 2010 Runway Edit Video:


Armani Prive:Copper Pleating: Armani Prive F/W 2010/11

Giorgio Armani has always been the go-to Designer for Hollywood. It's been a love affair since his "American Gigolo" days in the early 1980s if not before. In fact, it has been argued that he was the first "non-Hollywood" fashion designer to infiltrate the Awards Show Red Carpet. For this Haute Couture season , he payed homage to his love of "Old Hollywood" and he had PLENTY of gowns for those Couture clients missing something after leaving the no-Gown Chanel runway show. Kass Sequins: Supermodel Carmen Kass, Armani Prive Haute Couture F/W 2010/11

It was all about Lauren Bacall-meets-Carole Lombard with a little bit of Sharon Tate-esque hair thrown in. The colors reflected the intended season: Lots of camel, bronze and Winter Whites. Thick tweeds, duchesse satins and LOTS of crystals...As in sequined "Siren" gowns worthy of any "Jessica Rabbit" in the room...or a future Academy Award-nominated actress. I have a feeling we'll be seeing some of these gowns come next February. His gowns and suitings had interesting pleating detail as well as a continued interest in the shoulder as seen above and below:
Razor Sharp: The Armani Prive Shoulder

So, if you don't have an Academy Awards to attend and actually can pay for an original Armani Prive Haute Couture ensemble, you might want to go for this day-suit above. NO ONE, and I really mean NO ONE, will EVER question your authority in this. They better not. It's worth the price of a BMW!

Click Below For Armani Prive F/W 2010 Edit Runway Video:

Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010: Georges Hobeika

Sheikha Central
Draped Princess: Red draped gown with embroidered neckline, Georges Hobeika F/W Haute Couture 2010

Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika offered his view of Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010 in Paris and let's just say: It's VERY VERY Haute! Recession? What recession? This is Haute Couture kids! $30,000 for a suit and about $80,000 for a gown. Yep, this isn't Forever 21 or H & M. Fabrics alone can cost up to $500+ a yard. Warrior Wedding: White gown with beaded shoulder/neckline detail, Georges Hobeika F/W Haute Couture 2010

A dress can take up 5-10 yards so that's about $5,000 for fabric alone. Add trim, labor cost, designer's fee, and the cost of getting a HAND-MADE gown all to yourself with a number to prove it....well, now hopefully you understand. The price of your First Class flight to Paris for fittings IS NOT included.Cowling It: Cowl-draped slate-gray silk gown with beaded accents, Georges Hobeika F/W Haute Couture 2010

For Fall/Winter 2010, Hobeika showed glorious draping, color and exuberant beading. Collars stood up, shoulders were very extended and it was "there is no limit on my fabric budget this season" feeling with the gorgeous textiles shown.Lots of side-cowl Goddess draping, beaded shoulder interest and a Lieutenant Uhura from Star Trek-meets-Grecian Goddess Athena underlying theme.
The red satin jacket-and-skirt ensemble above SCREAMS Ivana Trump...or some Ukrainian arm-candy beauty! Now, tell me there are not ever some Wardrobe Malfunctions on the Haute Couture Runways...Case in Point: See above gown. See something odd? Look closely (to the left). Yep, the side zipper just came undone. I absolutely LOVE this gown so I'll just chalk it up to those oh-so-temperamental invisible zippers (especially ones put on by hand!). It has happened to ALL of us darling.
On a better note: Take a look at this stunner of a violet cocktail dress above! Imagine grabbing your next Heir to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in this...Or a Sheikh from Qatar. Georges Hobeika knows his market and his girls. Loved this collection Georges!

Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010: Christian Dior

Couture FlowersToday at 2:30 PM Paris time, the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010 show at the Musee Rodin in Paris took place. Recently metaled as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor... Designer John Galliano, showed a stunning collection--loved by critics Cathy Horyn and Suzy Menkes alike--inspired by Dior's 1953 Spring/Summer "Tulip" Collection, famous for its 3-D effect embroidery, exquisite bright colors, and of course, those iconic full ball gowns."May" silk organza with green-and-purple silk-floss embroidery evening gown, Dior 1953 Spring/Summer

The Fall/Winter 2010 Haute Couture Collection was an explosion of vivid colors, blooming voluminous shapes, grand ball gowns, hand-painted watercolor prints, ruffles, tulle and stiff duchesse satins galore! Take a look:Water every other day: One shoulder ballgown with full black netting skirt and iridescent silk petal drapes, Dior F/W Haute Couture 2010
J'ai Froid: Cobalt-blue cocoon coat with "torn-ruffle" neckline, Dior F/W Haute Couture 2010
Making an Entrance: Cerulean-blue, pink and ivory colored ball gown, Dior F/W Haute Couture 2010

If this is Fall, then bring on the snow kiddies! Maybe Fall in Dubai and Bahrain possibly, where a lot of his exclusive Couture clients probably come from. The details were also extravagant, my favorite being the bulb-shaped upturned hairdos wrapped in neon-colored cellophane. The effect was incredible, as seen from these photos; the head was wrapped like the stems of a bouquet with the dress serving as the incredibly colorful floral arrangement! Suitings were decisively more Fall-like in their fabrications... Such as the angora tailleur above and below. They enveloped the models like comfy cardigan sweaters but were fitted and interfaced to a 1/4" of their size 2 figures.To be honest, I liked the suitings and cocktail dresses more than those almost-too exaggerated ball gowns (I know, what part of Galliano don't you understand!). They were grand for sure, but lost in them was the elegant draped delicacy that Christian Dior's original ball gowns had.

The New Heel: Lower and less chunky ladies. Put those platform pumps in the closet and time to get closer to the Rue de Rivoli pavement!
Out: Thicker bolder heels that have become the most coveted styles in the past few seasons have now been replaced by....
In: Strappy , more feminine, less chunky heels

Click Below for a Behind-The-Scenes, audience member video of the Runway Show (the fashion show begins at 2:50):


**UPDATE: Full Runway Show Below!**

Nick Verreos on CBS San Francisco's "Eye On The Bay" TV Program

Nick...On the Bay!
Nick Verreos makes a "cameo" in CBS5 (San Francisco) "Eye On The Bay" TV program

In May, I hosted a really fun event for the release of "Sex And The City 2" at Macy's Union Square in San Francisco. If you read the posting here on my blog, well, it was A LOT of fun!!!! In addition to leading all the attendees through a "Fashion Caravan" of all the different styles represented by Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha, I also filmed fun segments at the party/event for CBS Channel 5 San Francisco and the popular weekly variety show, "Eye On The Bay" .Swarthy: Eye On The Bay host Liam Mayclem

The show is hosted by the very dashing Liam Mayclem (love his POSH British accent!). We had great fun "throwing" to all the segments in which that week's show would be discussing, which incidentally was entitled Spring/Summer 2010 Trends.

Click HERE for the entire video, and enjoy!

Nick Verreos at the LA Mart Designers' Forum Panel Discussion on Color Theory!

Designing Women...and Men!
Good Morning Color: Nick Verreos and Luxe Magazine Editor-in-Chief Pamela Jaccarino, LA Mart Designers' Forum, Color Theory

Last week, after my quick weekend jaunt to San Francisco to host the Grand Opening of the Sunglass Hut at Macy's Union Square and then riding on the Macy's "float" at the 40Th Anniversary SF Pride Parade, I returned to LA to join a fabulous panel discussion on Color Theory as part of the LA Mart 2010 Designers' Forum series. Of course, I decided to "Color Represent" and wear my bright cerulean blue (I call it "Mylanta Blue"!) TopMan jacket.The Giant Chair, LA Mart Design Center parking lot, Downtown Los Angeles

The LA Mart Design Center is the West Coast's preeminent Interior Design shopping destination for retailers and designers. It features Southern California’s most comprehensive collection of fine regional and national residential showrooms available to the trade professional. I was invited--as the sole "Fashion Voice" in a discussion on how important color is to artists, interiors, interior design, as well as fashion.
Merry Norris, Nick Verreos and moderator Pamela Jaccarino discuss their love of orange and blue

The panel discussion was moderated by Pamela Jaccarino, Editor-in-Chief of Luxe Magazine, who flew out from her home in Palm Beach Florida just for this! I was joined by the Art Consultant/Advocate and all-around DIVA Merry Norris; Principal Merry Norris Contemporary Art. Besides other projects, she had a firm hand as liaison for the Gateway LAX Enhancements Project, an improvement initiative which included the massive LED-lit pylons by multimedia artist Paul Tzanetopoulos. So, yes, you can indirectly credit her for that amazing "Welcome to LA" art installation!Designing Panel: Left to right: Michael Berman, Merry Norris, Nick Verreos and Pamela Jaccarino, LA Mart Designers' Forum Discussion on Color Theory

To round off our panel was Michael Berman, Principal at Michael Berman Ltd. The topics ranged from how passionate we are about color, how color can change a room, a person's outlook on life, and how Color Trends even begin. I spoke of those "Top Tier" designers who basically direct what colors will be the hottest for the season and how it all trickles down to the masses. The event was a huge success as can be seen by the packed house (above photo). Before we began, the organizers had to look for more chairs to accommodate the guests who were arriving. I guess that's a good thing. I Want This Couch: Nick Verreos enjoys some post-discussion R & R, LA Mart Design Center

After our hour-long discussion, there was a post-discussion Champagne and hors d'oeuvres reception, catered by Market, where many attendees approached me and thanked me for such a lively and informative discussion and how nice it was to hear a "fashion perspective". Now, if I could only afford all the great furniture and home accessories I saw at the LA Mart Design Center, then I would be "set"!