Karl Lagerfeld's last Chanel couture collection, shown in January, was a masterful all-white affair. Remember those hats made of paper? The only problem with having set the bar so high would prove to be clearing it again this season.
The fact that Christian Lacroix showed a couture collection today in Paris at all is a testament to his tenacity and vision as a designer. Two months ago, the company that bears his name was forced to declare its bankruptcy.
The Christian Dior couture show in Paris today was a beautiful, if somewhat familiar, ahistorical jaunt. Part part 80s lingerie-as-outerwear, part stiff New Look peplums, and part 30s bias satin slips, the collection was topped with Stephen Jones' extraordinary hats.
