Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week is the most breathtaking event on the fashion calendar. Last week marked the first all-physical event in years. To say the offerings at Fall 2022 Haute Couture were worth the wait is an understatement.
Daniel Roseberry kicked off the celebrations presenting a spectacular showcase of creations at Schiaparelli consisting of black velvet, corsets and pearl embroidery (60,500 pearls for one dress alone). The show was also a theatrical masterpiece. The work of Ukrainian artist Olesia Trofymenko was the starting point for Maria Grazia Chiuri’s vision at Christian Dior. The collection served up simple and reserved silhouettes. Celebrating 10 years, colorful balloons, pink flamingos and rainbow ponies adorned the runway at Giambattista Valli as models paraded his collection full of vibrant colors, endless volumes of tulle and ostrich feathers.
An art installation by Xavier Veilhan greeted guests at Chanel with the show taking place at a horse-riding center on the outskirts of Paris. Which was the perfect showcase for Virginie Viard’s cowgirl chic haute couture. Alexandre Vauthier amped things up and didn’t scrimp on the glitz and glam. Living legend Giorgio Armani proved once again that his signature sophistication and refined glamour will always be in fashion.
Balenciaga enlisted an A-list cast (headed by Kim Kardashian and Nicole Kidman) to model killer dresses at the original salon of Cristóbal Balenciaga located above the brand’s historic Avenue George V flagship store. Meanwhile, Olivier Rousteing nailed his stint as guest couturier for Jean Paul Gaultier and Maison Margiela’s John Galliano gave us pure performance art in a homage to the roaring 20s.
Whether you sat front row or watched online, Fall 2022 Haute Couture has been a blast. Scroll down to see the hits and misses of the season, according to our unfiltered forum members.
Hits and Misses Fall 2022 Haute Couture
-
HIT: Balenciaga
"Demna Gvasalia is truly a showman! I like how he elevates the classic looks with so much drama with volumes and trains. His technique in draping and tailoring is impeccable as usual." [Koibito]
"I love everything about the subtle excess, the perversion of the haute couture and so on. Demna is great for couture as he knows how to do a show and he has the skills." [GivenchyAddict]
"Spectacular and I'm not even one for Balenciaga or Demna. I loved the sense of drama, the traditional couture setting and I sat in total anticipation between each look. What a treat to see Nicole Kidman. Out of everything, that leopard coat with the raised collar is my fave look!" [vogue28]
See all the looks from the Balenciaga collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
MISS: Christian Dior
"There’s no scenery, romance, showmanship...just a parade of dresses. A glorified trunk show." [Lola701]
"It's way too chaste for my taste. I don't find any femininity here. And nothing to dream of." [yslforever]
"What boxy suits and Amish-looking, ankle-length woolen dresses have to do with Christian Dior is anyone’s guess…" [YohjiAddict]
See all the looks from the Christian Dior collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
HIT: Jean Paul Gaultier
"I tuned into the livestream not expecting much, but was very, VERY pleasantly surprised as the show progressed — I loved it! Absolutely adored the use of JPG's iconic fragrance bottle, like the bodysuit, the shoes and choker necklaces — all rather genius. My favorite element of the show by far!" [vogue28]
"Olivier Rousteing utilized the ateliers to the fullest. Married the progressively better Balmain into something pretty fantastical. Thought it was a relatively strong marriage between two very different design aesthetics." [cantdesign]
"I think it was a good collection from Olivier. He redeemed himself... I like it because I think he understood the spirit of Gaultier. It’s sometimes very cheesy, but it has that charm. It has the perfect blend of Gaultier and Rousteing and for once, Olivier’s heavy hand doesn’t seem that heavy. I enjoyed it a lot." [Lola701]
See all the looks from the Jean Paul Gaultier collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
MISS: Chanel
"Does Virginie Viard even have a creative bone in her body?" [Nomar]
"I guess what makes me sad is that there’s no more whimsical magic at Chanel. I don’t expect Virginie to be a showman the way Karl Lagerfeld was, but would it kill her to experiment more, at least for couture? Everything is so straightforward and boring." [dodencebt]
"Not only did Virginie Viard mimic Lagerfeld's silhouettes, but she also started to repeat her own ideas. You can also tell that she hasn't found any joy in couture, everything is super serious and super frumpy here." [perhydrol]
See all the looks from the Chanel collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
HIT: Armani Privé
"LOVE IT… God save Mr. Armani!" [DK92]
"Sublime and exquisite as per usual and my love for Giorgio Armani only continues to grow with each passing season. Another wonderful, regal and sophisticated collection, I love so many elements like that gloriously vibrant shade of pink, the plush black velvet and that shade of midnight blue." [vogue28]
"Even the literal 80s prom looks are hitting the spot for me. They're just done so well." [reese06]
See all the looks from the Armani Privé collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
MISS: Giambattista Valli
"MESS! A cataclysmic MESS!" [VogueDisciple93]
"Error 404: Taste Not Found." [GivenchyHomme]
"Oh God, it's literally on the level of Christian Siriano. I don't know why he went for this awkward direction as it's not even cute or pretty, it's just an overkill trying so hard to be sweet." [perhydrol]
See all the looks from the Giambattista Valli collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
HIT: Schiaparelli
"Oh wow, I have to say I kind of love all of this. Overall it feels quite luxe and sophisticated, something that's sorely missing in many collections at the moment. I love the mix of textures, fabrics and shapes." [WinstonH20]
"I love it when a designer's vocabulary expands. The bias-cut and draped dresses are a nice nod to Schiaparelli's heyday. The exposed breasts are likely a fun nod to Daniel Roseberry's obsession with Gaultier. The large but controlled volumes added the necessary drama." [LadyJunon]
"These Yves Saint Laurent references are just sending my love for Roseberry into absolute overdrive. Brilliant soundtrack and the set with the stairs was fabulous and felt like an occasion from a bygone era as the models walked in slow motion. A truly spectacular collection with that look Eva Herzigova wore being my fave! Obsessed." [vogue28]
See all the looks from the Schiaparelli collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
MISS: Iris van Herpen
"How many times did she present this collection already? Girl, time to move on." [THD96]
"Nothing innovative about it when you been making the same thing for years already. Completely drained from any creativity whatsoever." [depordetioz]
"I used to be one of those people that were obsessed with her technique, but it's now starting to look like the same thing. I wish she would start to find a balance between avant-garde and wearability." [Urban Stylin]
See all the looks from the Iris van Herpen collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
HIT: Alexandre Vauthier
"Expensive clothes looking expensive! This screams quality through my phone screen! Those fabrics! That is haute couture!" [Lola701]
"I like it. You know, for that kind of woman. It's a bit like what Balmain would be today if Christophe Decarnin had never left. It's what Olivier Rousteing thinks he's doing, but isn't." [Mutterlein]
"Never met an Alexandre Vauthier collection I didn't like and this is no exception. Wonderful to see Vauthier back doing physical shows and seeing the movement and wearability of the clothes in motion. That blue crocodile and fur coat is EVERYTHING!" [vogue28]
See all the looks from the Alexandre Vauthier collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
MISS: Fendi
"Seriously? You have an entire atelier and the best you can come up with are sheer dresses with visible underwear and embroidery? Seriously? And it doesn't even speak couture, it's giving resort at best. Embarrassing." [aracic]
"This looks like a fusion between Elie Saab and Valentino circa the 2010s. The color palette is so predictable, beige, brown and neutral pastel. Can he take a little risk please?" [THD96]
"This collection doesn't make any sense. It's the fourth couture show from Kim Jones and he still hasn't developed his own visual language, let alone skills." [perhydrol]
See all the looks from the Fendi collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
HIT: Viktor & Rolf
"They achieved what Demna at Balenciaga failed to do!" [JohannesL]
"I honestly didn't expect them to be so good so I'd say I'm pleasantly surprised by this offering. I'd go even further and say it's the best collection of this season so far. Every single piece makes sense and it's such a good take on tailoring in general." [perhydrol]
"Thank God they’re back! After so many literal and repetitive shows…this is wonderful!" [YohjiAddict]
See all the looks from the Viktor & Rolf collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
MISS: Alexis Mabille
"It's giving Couture Fashion Week New York. Mabille always has an eye for choosing the worst-looking fabrics every season." [THD96]
"How about making fewer looks to buy better fabrics?" [Lola701]
"The fabrics and finish look cheap even for ready-to-wear or higher-end, high-street fashion like Zara and Mango." [Urban Stylin]
See all the looks from the Alexis Mabille collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
HIT: Maison Margiela
"Beautiful. The coat on Karlie Kloss was divine." [avonlea002]
"Probably my favorite collection of couture week. John Galliano's SO GOOD at making clothes..." [RedSmokeRise]
"Those coats are perfection." [WAVES]
See all the looks from the Maison Margiela collection.
Image: Courtesy
-
MISS: Charles de Vilmorin
"A serious contender for the ugliest collection I’ve seen in my life." [helmutnotdead]
"This is messy. It's time to stop the gimmick and focus on the dressmaking." [THD96]
"You wouldn’t use this crap to wipe the floor of a real haute couture atelier…" [YohjiAddict]
See all the looks from the Charles de Vilmorin collection.
Image: Courtesy
-
HIT: Elie Saab
"Seems a little heavier than usual, but there are a couple of beautiful looks." [Urban Stylin]
"For me Elie Saab is one of those designers whose collections just automatically receive my seal of approval given the fact there's always a whole bevy of flawless dresses which you can immediately envisage a Hollywood actress wearing. The color palette this season is flawless and I'm sitting here unable to single out one standalone piece...because the whole collection is flawless!" [vogue28]
"It’s nice even though red carpet dressing is hardly my thing. I don’t doubt for a second that Saab knows his way around the atelier and knows the customer he’s trying to dress." [YohjiAddict]
See all the looks from the Elie Saab collection.
Image: Imaxtree
-
HIT: Zuhair Murad
"The color palette is really nice." [gossiping]
"Zuhair Murad's collections never reinvent the wheel, but ooze a strong sense of glamour that I will forever appreciate. Always so full of sparkle, vivid colors and total sophistication. There are umpteen jaw-droppingly gorgeous dresses here and I love that white hooded number." [vogue28]
"I like his use of the constellation motif, the baby blue dress with a matching cape and the magenta minidress with a feather-trimmed stole." [YohjiAddict]
See all the looks from the Zuhair Murad collection.
Image: Imaxtree
