The large mob of people standing in the blazing early evening sun in Paris extended to the curb, providing a model sized walk through for the guests of the Valentino haute couture show to enter the Place Vendome. The crowd was desperate to catch a glimpse of Liz Hurley (in a fuchsia slip dress) and other young socialites who were inside.

The collection designed by Valentino designers, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, was mainly based on an ultra short trapeze dress (or stunning coat) in organza, gazar or wool crepe. Adding to the designs were bows and feminine flounces. The models had their hair styled in dome-shaped buns and wore mules with more bows and tiny flowers tied to the tips, making them look lighter than feathers that might suddenly blow away. Fragile was the word du jour, though the look only suits certain body types (such as Calista Flockhart’s and the waif thin models used). The collection is comprised of high hem lines, patterns from the mind of a little girl and flimsy shapes. Even the beautiful Elizabeth Hurly would have a hard time making the collection work on her immaculate figure.

Despite the delicate cuts, the collection is easily the most impressive shown by Chiuri and Picciolli since taking over design at Valentino. The heart of the house was shown in the pale yellows and greens, the infamous Valentino seductive red and splashes of pink. The wool crepe suits with vented sleeves tied with tiny bows and precise to-date mix of feminine airy fabrics and structured cuts are signature Valentino, reminding us that heaven can be achieved on earth. Valentine himself is a fan of excess, as can be seen throughout the collection and in his previous couture shows.

One might say that Chiuri and Piccioli have not really experimented with classic Valentino standards, nor raised them. We want to see young clothes, as do the designers themselves (should their clientele die from old age and sales die out faster than Lindsay Lohan’s acting career), but perhaps the previous designs are immature and inexperienced?

This collection is easier on the eyes and the message is easier to read. High end, eccentric fashion is not just for Upper East Side queens, but is for women of all ages. Simplistic femininity is a timeless look. Bows, transparency, floral cuts – these are feminine, and femininity is innate to all women. Embrace it.

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It really is red carpet season so we thought why not get in on the act and scour the high street for the best there is – should you be lucky enough to need it!  We were pleasantly surprised by the choice and rather frustrated at having to trim down our selection but lets hope we have saved the best.

February is after all awards month in Ireland! With the Jameson Film Festival kicking off on the 18th February, the Meteor Music Awards on the 19th February and the I.F.T.A.’s (Irish Film and Television Awards) on the 20th February, red carpets are set to showcase some serious dresses and accessories. We wanted to show you how to achieve the look from high street stores, that won’t break the bank! To whet your appetite, wow.ie have put together a selection of evening dresses and accessories to highlight this seasons hottest looks suitable for many occasions including the red carpet, 21st’s and black-tie weddings.

To begin our high street hit list was Monsoon.  Our first find was not too dissimilar to Nicole Kidman‘s Prada dress which she wore to the Grammys, minus the ruffle neck detailing! Blue was also a popular colour at the Grammys with Fergie opting for a stunning short Emilio Pucci dress, Taylor Swift in a full length Kaufman Franco ‘glitter-tastic’ dress and Miley Cyrus in a short Herve Leger by Max Azria dress teamed with gladiator heels.  Our Monsoon favourites (top) are all well priced, from left – Allepo dress €280, Westbourne Maxi Dress €305, Kalahari Dress €310 and finally the Annabelle Dress at €250.

Our second store of choice for awards attire had to be Karen Millen!  The first dress from Karen Millen has a hint of Carrie Underwood‘s Grammy dress and the last dress was taking lead from Givenchy‘s use of lace, a big ‘boudoir’ trend this season. We also saw a kaleidoscope of colour at Couture week in Paris last month with Valentino leading the charge. Also bare in mind that animal prints are STILL in.  From left here’s what we’ve listed from Karen Millen – Cream Graphic Sequin dress €235, Blue Zebra print strapless dress €199, Kaleidoscope dress €199 and the beautiful lace dress €235.

Our final hit was Coast – where else!  I will admit to being nervous when it comes to shopping at Coast with the nagging thought that most of the other guests will probably have visited the store on their quest to find a dress.  However they probably do dresses better than anyone else on the high street so we couldn’t resist.  We uncovered every type of dress but decided with a busy month of red carpet events to go with the full length options. Again from left, Blue Symphony dress €205, second dress is the same as the first dress except we preferred it in the pink (a big colour this season), Harmony Maxi dress €325, Anise Maxi dress €250 and the Zola Beaded Maxi dress at €250.

Dress sorted but look far from complete without accessories. This is such an integral part to having a complete and polished look, plus it’s a way you can add a pop of colour or ‘craziness’ to an otherwise simple or block colour dress i.e. the old reliable LBD!  If the budget is tight pick up an inexpensive dress and invest in good accessories that can be worn again and again with both day wear or evening wear.  We’ve mentioned Irish designer Ali Nash before, great  jewellery that’s not mass produced and something a little different. (Check out our previous post on Ali Nash here or her site alinash.com) Ali will also create a bespoke piece if you have something particular in mind which would add to the sense of glamour.  Failing that we’ve picked out some of the best on offer through the high street and again we were not disappointed.

Let’s start from top and work our way down!  Earrings, love them or hate them they are a must have accessory this season.  We’ve chosen accessories mostly from Accessorize.  These colours will go with any dress so you should get to wear them again and again. From left – Pearly Chandelier €20, Show Stopping Chandelier €24 and the Teardrop Earring for €20.  All well priced.

We were sticking with Accessorize for accessories but we couldn’t resist adding a twist with these necklaces from Friis at BT2.  They will had an edge to which ever dress you choose.  The first would sit so well with the pink Symphony dress from Coast where as the other two will give an 80′s funky finish to any dress, and then work with a tank top or tee and skinny jeans for casual wear.

If you don’t have an assistant or make-up artist on hand you will be lowered to carrying your own handbag!  We’ve discovered three absolute gems at Accessorize with our favourtie being the bow detail bag in the middle.  Who needs Gina when you can ‘bag’ (sorry, couldn’t resist) yourself a Sparkly Clutch for €51! Our pick, the Babylon Bow Clutch, is an amazing €42 and the Chainmail Clutch, €42.

You have almost completed your look, the finishing touches are the Mega Bling Bracelet €30.50 and/or the Pearly Queen Bangle at €27.  Add to that an obnoxiously large ring and you will fit in on any red carpet.  Rihanna is always spotted wearing large costume rings, our choice from Accessorize, the Keepsake Ring is a bargain at only €25.50!  There you are fully kitted out, now you just need the invite!

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One of the key trends for Spring Summer 2010 is bright vibrant colours that bring a splash of sunshine to the new season. Littlewoods have bright pieces in key pop colours to add an instant dash of life to your wardrobe. Bold, optimistic colours in shades of coral, sunny yellow, pink, purple and turquoise are an instant way to update and accent a dull winter wardrobe without breaking the bank. The key to this trend is picking bright signature pieces that will see you through the new season and complement your existing wardrobe.

They have everything from gorgeous floaty dresses in acidic shades to neon shoes and bags, all you need to update your look without spending your life savings! If it all seems a little too loud for you then accessorize using these key colours with scarves or bags so it’s less overpowering.  Valentino (above) and other big fashion houses exhibited neon colours through their collections at Couture week in Paris which we previously wrote about. Littlewoods offers a far less expensive way to buy in to this trend especially as we feel it will date.

Top five items to add a splash of colour to your Spring Summer wardrobe from Littlewoods:

1. Pick a bold signature shoe

Scared of bright bold colours? Start off small by adding bright bursts of colour to accessories. Shoes are always a great start. Pair the Love Label Capulet‘ rose trim platform shoes in bright pink with a little black dress for an instant update to your existing wardrobe. €47

2. Update the denim look

Every wardrobe needs denim and this season it’s a key trend. Skinny jeans are still in so go bold with Love Label fashion biker jeans in pink. Pair with a simple top for a casual, on trend summer look. €42.00

3. The Mac is Back!

Let’s face it, we live in Ireland which means even though Spring is coming, there will always be room for a new coat! Go for the South fashion trench in a bold shade to bring the mac into a new decade. Perfect over any outfit and a great way to add colour to every outfit. €72.00

4. Give occasion wear a lift

Stand out from the crowd in a gorgeous floaty chiffon dress in a WOW shade! One shoulder and bright yellow are right on trend for the new season making this Enchanted by Ann Louise Roswald One shoulder corsage dress the statement occasion wear piece of the season. Team with simple accessories and let the dress do the talking! €104.00

5. All the colours of the rainbow in one look

As vibrant shades dominate, update your partywear with a bright funky top in a kaleidoscope of rainbow shades. This Love Label spectrum blouse in pop shades of pink, blue, green and yellow is bold but never over the top when paired with skinny jeans or black leggings. €44

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Last week the haute couture shows took Paris by storm. The golden oldies were present; Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Dior, Armani Privé, Valentino and Givenchy. Others that took part in this extraordinary example of fashion at it’s finest were Alexis Mabille, Elle Saab, Thimister and Anne Valérie Hash.

The shows were awash with creative ideas inspired by both ethnicities and pop culture. Jean Paul Gaultier kept his tailoring title this year with clean cuts and a cream day suit with lattice jacket everyone will be pining after. However the rest of the collection left a lot to be desired. Gauchos, sombreros and Spanish shawls were styled with feathers and basket weave detailing that had the audience thinking they were in Mexico. He was just short of handing out burritos at the close of the show with the matador dressed models taming bulls.

Chanel surprised everyone (I think Lagerfeld was quite surprised himself) with a futuristic collection that was a definite change for the fashion house. He admitted that “It took me 54 collections to get there”, perhaps it took that long to create a time travelling mechanism. The sorbet shades were a delightful contrast to the usual monochrome looks and there wasn’t a navy blazer or a gold button in sight. Stockings glistened as much as the models hair- that was mounted in a love-heart shape on top of each models head with a streak of silver to add couture edge. Sarah Mower of style.com noted the rococo heels as a favourite and the ‘ethereal cloud colours’ had the models floating down the runway.

Held in the Dior house, Galliano’s collection was inspired by Charles James and the Gibson Girls. Snug fitted jackets and long draped skirts were not far off creations from Christian Dior himself back in the 50′s. Some of the editors sitting in the front row had to strain their necks to get a glimpse at these looks as Tavi, fashion blogger extraordinaire, donned an elaborate Dior headpiece. People were in awe at how Valentino models were able to walk unscathed down the catwalk as they were blindfolded with matching flowing fabrics. The multi-coloured garments match the kaleidoscope of colour the make-up artists had created and had one confused that perhaps Valentino had hired Avatar extras to model for them this year.

Ricardo Tisci at Givenchy delved into the houses’ archive to produce a 70′s inspired collection. He couldn’t help but admire the powerful, strong, erotic phase of Parisian women back then and he related to them. The tailoring created a masculine exterior to the feminine beauty of the models with tuxedo tailcoats paired with ostrich printed t-shirts. The flamenco influenced layers and the midnight blue column dresses juxtaposed the androgynous aesthetic eloquently and made for an all-round risk taking collection that went down a treat.

One that was certainly a shock to the system was the looks created at Alexis Mabille. The two-tone suit of pink on one side and black on the other really set the mood at couture week which screamed surprise. The two-tone detail was present from the shoes on either foot to the hair and even eyebrows of each model, an attention to detail all of the other houses should make note of and admire.

Couture week in Paris always has high expectations and these were certainly met, but not outshone. All shows had a similar idea-to out do the other, but only a few of them managed to create looks that will certainly inspire other designers and trends to come in 2010.

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