Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week 2019 

While we thumb through Instagram feeds, looking for summer style inspiration, Paris is holding their Haute Couture Fashion Shows, and we want to tell you why this is relevant to all of us fashionistas!

What are Haute Couture Designs 

Haute Couture are designs made by hand, sometimes up to 20 craftspeople work on just 1 design, putting in thousands of hours. To put it into perceptive, in 1 day a thousand pairs of jeans can be made in 1 factory by 4 people. The atelier craftsmen and women are seasoned embroiderers, pattern cutters, drapers, and the most skilled hand sewers. Everything is done in a way that shapes the cloth to optimize the intended silhouette and to feel structured and seamless.

This is why these pieces are priced at 6 figures. A mere skirt can cost 50K. This is the highest form of fashion and as you can mage. With old school craftsmanship paired with innovative materials it is considered Art-To-Wear.

Why does Haute Couture Designs matter to us? 

For the past 70 years since the decline of Haute Couture and the rise of Pret-a-porter (ready-to-wear), Designers have looked at the remaining couture houses with carte blanche budgets to see what new color combinations, and techniques they can use in their collections. Ironically sometimes the big houses take their inspiration from street style, but even then, we see what kings like Karl Lagerfeld (for the House of Chanel), and Valentino create, and it creates waves in the industry. Galliano back in the 90's became a couture legend, when he paraded supermodels in theatrical outfits, and literally dictated to women around the world to tweeze their eyebrow thin and to wear as many bias cut dresses as possible. While McQueen (may he rest in Peace) also made an impact when he designed for the house of Givenchy, by making women consider goth looking corsets chic again.

Maybe you remember these fads, needless to say, a fashionista knows where every good trend comes from, and that is the runway shows in Paris.

Haute Couture Effects on Industry

The biggest fashion and cosmetic companies invest in Couture because they dictate the course of fashion. And since we are all trying invest in trends and looks that will last, these trends can help us foresee the future. This makes Paris Fashion week a great crystal ball for us on what direction the fashion industry will go in. Magazines like Vogue inspire designers in all contemporary markets with their editorials and in turn, they design their Read- to-wear collection, all of which will reach us in some form or another.

Bleu’s Review of the Paris Show: 

We have taken a look at the spectacle happening in Paris now, and we have seen some silhouettes that we have in the shop. And since the Haute Couture dresses might be for women going to the Oscar awards, it doesn't mean we cannot get glammed up even if it is for our Oscar viewing party happening at our girlfriend’s house. 

Valentino Metallic pink ruffle tiered dress and Schiaparelli ostrich feather gown together incorporate 3 major trends: tiered skirts, feathers as fringe, and soft/metallic pink.  All three of these trends can be seen in our look using the Delfi camisole top and IRO's tiered skirt.

Giambattista Valli lace and chiffon cocktail dress is made for everyday by  Alice + Olivia

Elie Saab sent down a stunning red gown perfect for any upcoming red carpet event, and Likely has also released  a stunning off the shoulder gown.

Givenchy and 3.1 Phillip Lim are on the same page with the tent silhouette trend, while Elie Saab and Azzaro and Zhivago are both feeling the blue sequin wrap dress perfect for evening.  

All runway images are from Vogue.com and all our dresses can be found on our links.