Already, we've seen some incredible clothes at Burberry, Bottega Veneta, Gucci and the other designers that showed in Milan this past week. But, now, Fashion Director Nick Sullivan is off to the City of Lights, where he'll be bringing you the latest from Louis Vuitton, Dries Van Noten, Adam Kimmel and more. Then, throughout Friday and the rest of the weekend, we'll be reporting from Yves Saint Laurent, Dior Homme, Givenchy, Hermès, and (hopefully) the trial riddled John Galliano.
For the time being, take a look above for a first look at Kim Jones' first collection for Louis Vuitton. Earlier Thursday, the former Dunhill designer showed a collection that gave ultimate luxury an approachable edge :
The finest skins were turned into baseball jackets, and the suits and sport coats were shorter with ties slightly undone. Scarves, in Louis Vuitton's damier pattern, were updated in red and blue and as large as blankets.
Some models walks the runway at Valentino spring 2012
Their Valentino woman is a stranger, more complex cipher than Garavani's stunningly uncomplicated vision of beauty. Today they made the requisite nods to his great motifs - the ruffles and that always scene stealing red but these were not the main event. There was youthful prettiness in floral lace dresses in baby blue, black, blush and pink (this strapless, with a ruffle hem), and elfin kookiness in the glitter heeled flat sandals with straps of entwined leather, and a little sheer pink capelet with pink lace shorts.
Their longest riff, however, was played through the mediums of chiffon and lace and majored on an ankle-skimming hemline much longer than most collections next spring. By layering these ultra-light materials they create an ultra-feminine and very watchable interplay of movement, sometimes emphasised by placing the lightest possible polka dots on an nude chiffon underskirt, or a rose appliqué on a black sheer gown.
