The Giorgio Armani Prive Spring 2009

The Giorgio Armani Prive Spring 2009 show had a distinctive Asian vibe to it.


From the Pagoda architecture inspiration that was evident in the unusual shoulder designs and hairstyle to the Chinese-themed florals and Geisha lacquer reds, the Asian aesthetics of the whole show were undeniable.


But with the Academy Awards season coming soon, the collection also had Hollywood on its mind, with quite a few of the gowns making a dash for the red carpet consideration.


"This collection really fell into two parts: the pagoda tailoring and the power play for the Hollywood red carpet. The latter was more effective, especially the shimmering paillette hourglass sheaths and the plethora of strapless gowns. As we all know, strapless shows no signs of dying out as the event uniform of choice. Which is why Armani doubtless spoke with full confidence in smartly rebutting the R-word question with, "I am sure this collection will be a success."via

Balenciaga Spring 2009

Would you wear a dress that looked more like fish scales? Yes, this kind of dress is now the newest creation into the world of new technology.


Balenciaga brought C3PO leggings into style last season, and for Spring 2009, Nicolas Ghesquière is sticking with the theme with pieces like the galactic tunic. Paired with a longsleeved white shirt, he sent a model down the runway at Paris Fashion Week in a glitzy jumper that looked more like fish scales than a high end dress.


“The genius of Balenciaga is Ghesquière's projection of couture techniques into the world of new technology. A crude stab at describing it might be "sci-fi couture," but the truth is his mind-set renders stock fashion vocabulary redundant. Ghesquière works without references or narrative, pushing experimentation with fabric and cut to the nth degree. Cleverer still is the sense of a grounded core: the recognizable, desirable developments of pants (the evolution of his jodhpurs in mackintosh fabric; the sophisticated motocross shapes), and the precious, shiny, chic bags clutched in every hand.” via