Rochas was lovely and classic for Spring 2011.  The color palette consisted of ivory, cobalt blue, brown, chartreuse and a floral print in lavender.   The colors were subdued aside from the bursts of chartreuse and cobalt blue.  Flowers were a big part of the collection; it was present in both the print and on the shoulder of the dresses.  Many of the dresses had great volume and movement.  You could see the intricacy of the work that went into each piece, like skilled ruching on the body of a dress or the painstaking detail that went into the gather of the skirt of a dress.  All of these particulars made for a beautifully constructed and timeless collection.

Anne Valerie Hash

Gareth Pugh

Rochas

Today was the first day of the ready-to-wear shows for Paris Fashion Week.  Being the first day, it may be too early to spot trends, but I am taking notice of the colors for spring thus far.  A  few collections have color palettes that are more reminiscent of fall.  Rochas had colors like burnt orange, deep burgundy and brown.  Gareth Pugh’s collection offered a sea of gray in various shades, this was in contrast to the mostly white collection he showed for spring 2009.  Anne Valerie Hash departed from the soft neutral color palette of spring 2009 and opted for more charcoal grays and blacks this season.  Is this the trend for Paris next spring?  The answer will unfold in the next day or two.