Haute Couture Collections Spring-Summer 2012

Welcome abord Air Chanel! Karl Lagerfeld, famous for his lavish sets, transformed the Grand Palais into a jumbo jet. No attention to detail was spared from the numbered seating to the floor-level lighting. It was a flight few wanted to disembark.

Lagerfeld’s creations were as stunning as his set. Models showcased slim dresses with exaggerated rouleau necklines…a reference to old airline uniforms. But if the look was nostalgic, the materials were anything but outdated.

The collection was awash in blue. 154 different shades of blue to be precise. A youthful color, which is fitting for Chanel’s young clientele.

Brazilian designer Gustavo Lins is a former architect. How does this feature in his creations today ?

Parisian designer Alexander Vauthier is a guest member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. He has dressed everyone from Rihanna to the dancers at the French cabaret Crazy Horse. His inspirations are varied and diverse.

For his latest collection, Vaultier was inspired by a perfume from the 50s… Estée Lauder’s "Youth Dew" - an oriental, sensual scent.

In order to create, designers draw upon many things: personal memories, scents, and cultural influences… and that is a modern approach.