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Crush of the Week: Ralph & Russo Autumn/Winter 2015/16 Couture Collection

There are different kinds of couture fans: those who want it to move with the times, embracing modernity à la Raf Simons at Dior; those who long for the theatrics and drama of Galliano's heyday; and then there are those of British-based couture house Ralph & Russo where old meets new seamlessly - with just a little couture fairy dust sprinkled on top.

As far as it could be from the usual concept of the fashion-week spectacle, the Ralph & Russo show takes couture back to its inception - with the women who actually buy the dresses we were about to see waiting eagerly for their debut, some actually texting designer Tamara Ralph to ensure that the one per territory that the brand allows will not end up in the wardrobe of a rival princess or Russian heiress.

The Autumn/Winter 2015/16 Couture collection is called 'Enchanted Splendour'. Set against the backdrop of an enchanted forest, Tamara Ralph’s dreamy fairy tale like creations fit the princess theme from the neck down to the toes. Her work is a tour de force of elaborate design and labor-intensive artistry and the result is a sublime blend of tradition and modernity.

"We had a lot of vintage Sixties embroideries that we redeveloped, so that was the starting point in terms of fabric," Ralph says. "The Ralph & Russo girl this season is strong, she's beautiful; the shapes are more sensual, but within that we still have a range of styles for all our clients."

'Eden' Pumps in Midnight Blue AW15/16 pre-order at Harrod's Bourique

Ralph & Russo 'Baroque' Heel Pumps AW15/16 pre-order at Harrod's Boutique

'Eden' Pumps AW15/16 available to pre-order at Harrod's Boutique & by private order

Ralph's discerning eye goes a long way to creating an opulence that somehow still remains understated, a concept nowhere more evident than in this autumn's bridal finale.

Worn by Ana Beatriz Barros, the Victorian neckline and intricate gold embroidery of the dress was given a sexy hip-hugging shape. How can something that is comprised of 700 metres of embroidered Chantilly lace be called "simple"? That's the Ralph & Russo je ne sais quoi.

Images Sources: Ralph & Russo flip-zone.com facebook/Ralph&Russo

Text Sources: Ralph & Russo vogue/uk wwd.com

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Chanel Cruise 2016 Seoul

Monday night Karl Lagerfeld showed his Chanel Cruise 2016 Show in Seoul in the uber futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a curvaceous spaceship-like structure designed by Zaha Hadid and South Korean-based Samoo Architects.

Chanel staged the show on a modernist, minimalist set – a colorful expanse of polka dot-shaped stools and light fixtures that transformed the space into a giant Twister mat.

“It’s a cosmopolitan idea of the local fashion,” Lagerfeld said. The voluminous shapes and bold color combinations of hanboks, the South Korean equivalent of the kimono, inspired the designer. He delivered his own high-fashion versions of these full, high-waisted dresses in patchwork silk — including one in a smattering of pastel hues and another version in soft pink that closed the show. “This doesn’t exist in any other country in the eastern part of the world — only in Korea,” Lagerfeld said of the patchwork technique.

In a nod to the historical hairdos featured in South Korean period dramas, there were bold headpieces made from thick braids of black hair, some in crown formations and others in buns similar to mouse ears.

“I don’t do folklore or direct interpretation. It’s an idea of what I think it could be – or should be.”

The styles in tweed, rendered in punchy weaves of bright hues, were also standouts. “It’s an updated Korean version of the Chanel jacket,” Lagerfeld noted.

Some A-listers for the front row including Kristen Stewart, Gisele Bündchen, Tilda Swinton, Isabelle Huppert, Gaspard Ulliel, Lo-Fang and Rinko Kikuchi. Tapping into the K-pop talent pool, the fashion house enlisted the likes of rapper G-Dragon, South Korean-American singer Krystal, and singer, songwriter and dancer Taeyang to attend the show along with actresses Shin-Hye Park and Ah-Sung Go.

“The styling was really Korean. They mixed a lot of elements of traditional Korean style with Chanel’s own identity…[and] I was so proud to see this as a Korean,” G-Dragon said.

Image Sources : Style.com Vogue.com

Text Source: wwd.com

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