Meet Alexis Mabille, a French fashion designer who is the new couturier in Paris.  He is only 30 years old, and has already worked with John Galliano and at Yves Saint Laurent.  His style is very romantic and feminine, his signature is the bow tie.  Mr. Mabille has his sight set on the younger couture buyer.   That is a good way to avoid direct competition with the older more established houses, but I wonder if the younger buyer will have the buying power to sustain this venture in the present economy.  Even so, his designs are fresh and pretty, and will be coveted.

Upon my first glance of the Elie Saab couture collection, I felt an incredible lightness and joy within.  The collection came in various shades of white, and it sent a message of hope, renewal and purification.  That alone won me over.  One’s state of mind is the key in all areas of life, and fashion is no exception.  The collection offered an escape from the current economic environment; it dared to will us out of a recessionary state of mind.  For this reason alone, Fashion Rollcall would have named Elie Saab to its Rollcall list for Couture Week fall 2009, but the dresses were heavenly as well.  Each one was lovelier than the next, and the models’ bodies and stance conveyed a feeling of sensuality in the dresses, and rightfully so.  One would feel beautiful in any of those looks.  The one shoulder trend was heavily represented; my favorite look was Grecian inspired with a long sleeve on one side and a cap sleeve on the other; it’s simply gorgeous.  Click here to view the entire collection.

Couture Week fall 2009 began yesterday in Paris, and the Givenchy couture show captured my imagination.  It combined edginess with sweetness and it worked, I eagerly anticipated each look.  There were regal and ethnic inspirations sprinkled throughout the collection, namely the burkas.  The edgier looks had a womanly silhouette of balanced shoulders and hips with a narrow waist. One particular look could have been from The Matrix, it was tough, lean and sexy.  The softer looks were a vision; the two bridal looks were the stand outs for me in this collection, maybe it’s because of their representation of romance.  The first bridal look was a strapless jumpsuit, the other  a sheer ethereal skirt, both with floor length veils.  All in all, this collection struck the right note.  View the entire collection here.