Couture season is the best season, and the Spring 2014 shows – awash with tulle, feathers and glitter galore – didn’t disappoint. Set in seductive Paris, our favorite models marched down the catwalk in pieces that could only be described as “art”. So skip the museum and take a peek at some of our favorite works, in all their textural, painterly glory. You might just be inspired to pull out those old paints and put your brush to canvas.
Chanel
Holy punk. From the fringed hair right down to some very urban sneakers, this Chanel look is all about edge. What makes it a little more complex, though, is in the middle: attitude, meet glamour. Some very feminine feathers and sparkle keep this look from going too goth, and a silver girdle of sorts lets that womanly figure appear beneath tons of tulle.
Christian Dior
Sometimes, it’s all in the details. At first glance, this look may appear to be more akin to minimalist Calvin Klein, but we urge you to zoom in. The glossy, plasticized texture of the outfit aside, we adore the tiny window into another world seen on that crop top. And don’t even get us started on those shoes – it’s like loafers and gladiator sandals had a sexy, metallic baby.
Elie Saab
We yawned a little at first when flipping through pictures of the Elie Saab show – it seemed like they’d been doing the same translucent, sparkly gowns season after season. But we stopped short on this one, jaw on the floor. Seriously, did someone grab the Northern Lights and somehow attach them to a dreamy, flowing dress? And even better, we love that those gorgeous tones fade from a pitch-black top. Totally unexpected.
Zuhair Murad
Hippie chicks, unite! Zuhair Murad’s got your back with this angelic lace gown, complete with a leafy golden belt. It’s so simple, but endlessly chic and figure flattering. Best of all? This look could go from a beach cover-up to a lunch date to a red carpet. Apparently, ladies like Janis Joplin had the right idea.
Valentino
How could we not include this musical note gown on Vinyl’s list? We love that the rest of the look is sheer and understated, letting the notes take center stage. But in anticipation of being called “boring”, flawless lines of glitter lay beneath each measure. Sheer, sexy, and smart: Beethoven would approve.
Kate Foster is a hodgepodge of seemingly unrelated titles: writer. Blogger. Beauty and fashion junkie. Cat devotee. Art history buff. Harry Potter nerd. Cheesy 90's television fan. Sometimes-gamer. Seasonal sculptor. Mostly she’s a music enthusiast. While her heart and soul belong to 50's and 60's crooners like Etta James, Sam Cooke and Elvis Presley, one shouldn’t be surprised to find her listening to Lady Gaga or Jay-Z. Most days, though, she’s in an indie-punk mood somewhere in between - she counts the Pixies, the White Stripes, M83, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs as a few of her favorites. And while you’ll typically see her bobbing her head calmly at concerts, occasionally she pulls out all the stops for bands like the Black Lips. She treasures her bruises like a child. After graduating from the University of Georgia with degrees in Journalism and Art History, Kate aspires to move to New York City. There, she hopes to continue to write. She also plans on pretending to understand the art at MoMA and stuffing her face with cronuts and one dollar pizza. Kate’s heroes range from Oscar de la Renta and Mindy Kaling to Ernest Hemingway and Rupert Giles. She practically inhales iced coffee on a daily basis. Her favorite color is yellow, and like Buddy the Elf, she considers candy a major food group. She has dreams almost every night involving the coolest architecture and interior design, and has no idea what it means. Seriously, what does that mean?!