Haute Couture 2012: Armani Privé and Valentino.

Still no time to write a Teen Wolf finale post. Instead: FASHION.

Armani Privé
At first I thought this collection was terribly '80s, but then I realised that the clothes weren't particularly retro in themselves -- it was the styling. The colour scheme was all chilly blues and watercolour lilacs, and the long, loose silhouette looked like the fashion drawings of the '80s rather than the fashions themselves.

Overall I'd rate the accessories in this show far higher than the actual clothes. The plethora of simple, floor-length blue suits and dresses seemed rather boring, whereas the feathered headdresses and sparkling veils were among the few details that seemed worthy of a big-name couture show.

Valentino
This show included just enough moments of heavy-handed historical glamour for me to enjoy it. Valentino are known for their showy gowns, so a 19th-century inspiration was ideal. Not 19th-century in shape, though -- it was more to do with the patterns and colours of antique furniture and interior decor, heavy on the old-fashioned floral motifs and dense embroidery.

I love dresses like these, where the fabric pattern is so obviously taken from at least a hundred years ago but the shape is so unmistakably modern. As long as the fabric is interesting enough, you can cut it down to the simplest minidress imaginable and it's still very obviously couture.