"Paris is the most important week of my year"

New York, London, Milan & Paris - the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear these four names together is Fashion Week. Every year, the season kicks off with the bustling life of New York City and ends in the serene and beautiful Musée du Louvre of Paris. Recently, Paris Fashion Week happened from February 26 - March 6. Paris always drives in everyone who's anyone, and then there are others like me, who are present there virtually (oh thankyou Leanord Kleinrock for your amazing idea of the internet!). So anyway, there were really awesome designers showing their really awesome collections, which was basically really awesome. Dior, Chloe, Valentino, Alexander McQueen, among other houses portrayed really amazing stuff, some sticking to their signature designs and others being novel. Being so shamelessly judgmental I won't withhold my opinions and hence, here I have some of my favourites this Paris.

Valentino

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli created a spectacular collection this year. Inspired by Flemish culture and paintings, the collection included flower embroideries, sleek silhouettes and colours like scarlet red, royal blue, silvery grey and of course the season’s standard black and white. With these qualities, the collection was seductive yet there was something really youthful about the collection, specially because of the french plaits which fell on the models' shoulders. The most striking features were peplums and cut-out collars, which were visible in almost all the pieces. There were also beautiful long sleeved dresses creating a princess vibe and at the same time embroidered mini dresses reminding you of youthful days. I think the success of the collection lay in its diversity, oh and its accessories.

Dior

Raf Simons and art. Two things which will ALWAYS go together, right? Like his previous collection, Raf Simons awed everyone, specially me, with the confluence of art and style, yet again. Of course, they're always hand-in-hand but I think he is one of the very few designers who actually highlights this junction. His collection saw stunning asymmetrical and crocheted dresses in the patent shades of black and white. Classics also integrated their way into his collection with skirted silhouettes and the Dior houndstooth. Peplums, ruffles and cable knits also took the stage. And who doesn't love the eternal Bar Jacket, which was done in navy blue this season. Raf Simons is definitely going a along way, take Dior with him.

Nina Ricci

#dance. Designer Peter Copping was inspired by dance this season, creating a rather sexy collection. Sophisticated and elegant flooded the runway and the collection included bias cut silk and lace slip dresses, floating ostrich-feathered hems, sweetheart necklines and corsets. In a palette of black, white, and red, the collection was simple. the result was basically a take on a ballerina’s off-duty closet.

Enough about Paris (if that's even possible), going to talk about my hometown now. Wills India Fashion Week is back starting from 13th March'13 with its Autumn Winter 2013 collection. And yours truly is invited (does a little dance). I got a call recently inviting me to the opening that is, Masaba for Satya Paul, and I was obviously extremely ecstatic! So yes, I'll be there at 13th March and will keep all you lovelies updated. 

Manvi.x