Zuhair Murad Spring 2013 Couture Collection

Images from here.

Uh, look what I came across this morning.  I'll have one of everything, please.  I find it hard to find a collection which I can say, as a whole, I like.  But when I do come across a show which I can say that about, it makes it all that more special.  I adore pretty much every dress from above, and am quite sure they're some of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.  Argh, sometimes I really do wish I was a celebrity just so I could walk down red carpets wearing amazing dresses.  Couture dresses should be amazing and breath-taking, and these haven't disappointed.  A lot of them are like a second skin and glide over the models' bodies at every curve.  I could definitely see Kristen Stewart in one of these babies.
My favourite dress is definitely the last one, the dress is beautiful but look at that feather jacket!  With the gold shoulders?  Wow.  Seriously wow.
I also found my wedding dress in the collection, now who wants to marry me?  Needs to have enough money to buy me said dress.

Winter fashpiration - Balmain A/W '12

Pictures from Vogue.co.uk

I have said it before and I will happily say it again: Olivier Rousteing for Balmain is quickly becoming my favourite designer.  This was his second season designing for the label, and I loved pretty much all of his Spring '13 collection too.  Never before have I wanted to work a cool, rock n' roll edge to my outfits than I do after seeing these looks down the runway.  Was it all black and leather though?  Nope, not at all.  The luxe fabrics were embellished with more feminine touches, cue lots of pearls, jewels and gold.  I really like it when designers take something other than a trend to use for their inspiration, and this collection has lots of cultural references.
It's definitely got a 'effortlessly chic French woman' look about it, as in she hasn't had to do anything to her make-up or hair, she's gone out of the door in something high-fashion and yet is acting like it's not big deal at all.  The girl who every other girl looks at and thinks 'Shit, she's cool'.
Damn, I want to be a Balmain girl.

Dolce & Gabbana fall 2012

IMAGES via VOGUE.COM

So fashion month is over now (as is my overflowing Twitter timeline) but I am still thinking of this collection.  Dolce & Gabbana have been a favourite of mine ever since I became interested in runway collections, esecially after last autumn's collection with the famous star-printed pieces.  So this was the one I was most excited to see this fashion season, and it did not disappoint.  Full of beautiful, embelished dresses and luxurious materials, these clothes make me take a step back and look at my skinny-jeans-and-converse-filled wardrobe and think 'Ugh!  How boring!' 
The collection was inspired by Italy, which I thought was evident after the first few looks alone, with the lace and the gold embroidery, which I think is brilliant.  They're obviously proud of their Italian origins and what better way to show their love for their country than on the runway.  The clothes undoubtedly celebrate femininity, which is probably the exact kind of motivation I need to throw away my usual boydcon skirts and to wear skinny jeans a little less often.  My three words to describe this collection are 'innocent' (but still) 'sexy' and 'beautiful'.  In my opinions, they are only getting better with each season.
What do I want to be when I grow up?  Wearing Dolce & Gabbana, of course.

Marchesa fall 2012

PHOTOS FROM VOGUE.COM

I have discovered that I know when I am going to like a collection simply by seeing one of a collection's looks, if I don't like one then I won't like the rest.  Just like I was immediately attracted to Jason Wu's collection, this one drew me in straight away.  The colours are stunning, going in the completely different direction to the colours we, and lots of designers, associate with the autumn/winter seasons: blacks, greys, burgundies and so on, but who couldn't be immediately pulled out of their comfort zone to try something in white or silver after looking at this collection?  I am already there.  Where is there?  On some beautiful, heavenly place where glamourous women walk around in sheer, embellished evening gowns all day... Well, at least I'm there in my head.  I can't see myself wearing one of these amazing creations on a normal college day.  But if I was a celebrity who frequently attended awards shows and walked (gracefully, may I add) on the red carpet, this is the first place where I would look for a dress.  For the dress.  The one which will make everyone's head turn followed by a gasp.  The loose updos and the barely-there make-up instantly mirror the dresses, too.
Three words?  'Beautiful' (again), 'feminine' and 'otherwordly'.
Quite a contrast to the Jason Wu show which I loved, but an amazing collection of looks all the same.
What do you think of these looks?  Have they had a similar effect on you?

Jason Wu fall 2012

Okay, okay, I know I am contradicting myself here.  I've been going on about how I love pastels and want the winter to be over so I can start wearing more summery items, but due to England still being very much in winter at the moment, I had to mention this show.  This is, by far, the best collection I have seen yet from New York fashion week (although Peter Som was pretty great, too).  I properly noticed Jason Wu's clothes when I saw his lookbook for S/S 2012, which contained a lot of pretty looks with lace and short-shorts, and I loved pretty much all of it, but I think I love this even more.  Although the leg-showing evening gowns are almost breath-taking, my favourite look from the collection is the burgundy cape with the skinny leather trousers which I can easily imagine myself wearing on a freezing English day. Note to self: buy a cape for next year.
If I had to sum these looks up in three words they would be 'sexy', 'stylish' and definitely 'confident'.
What do you think of this collection, are you a fan?