Elie Saab creation
© AFP/File Olivier Laban-MatteiPARIS (AFP) - John Galliano's medieval pageant for the legendary French fashion house with its courtly gowns, 'topiary' grass-green skirts and theatrical head-dresses was the stuff of dreams.
Romance, artistry and exquisite craftsmanship were also on display at other fashion heavyweights, from Chanel's covered-up classics, to Jean Paul Gaultier's enchanted kingdom and Christian Lacroix's fiesta of feminine charm.
"It has to be spectacular, it has to be very differentiated, it has to make the public dream," said Didier Grumbach, president of the couture federation and chamber of haute couture.
Christian Lacroix creation
© AFP/File Pierre Verdy"If there is no emotion it doesn't function," he added.
However, modern practicality also breezed through a number of the collections for autumn-winter 2006-07, likely to widen the appeal of these hand-made garments to a younger clientele.
Brigitte Bensimon, a buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue, noted the collections, which wrapped up in the French capital on Friday, had been "younger, more modern", aimed at "a new customer".
Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld paired high denim boots that looked like jeans under sleek mini-dresses giving even the wispiest of luxuriously-embellished cocktail chic an air of insouciance.
Gaultier creation
© AFP/File Pierre VerdyLong gloves, or as the German designer put it "the boots of the arms" ran nearly up to shoulders with cutely-capped sleeves, or under neat three-quarter length sleeves.
A fiesta of styles including the Spanish Renaissance made for a joyful ode to femininity at Christian Lacroix with sumptuous colour, cut and detail, at times sensual, sweet or cheeky.
While the fashion crowd sweltered in the Paris heat wave, Jean Paul Gaultier looked ahead to a winter season full of luxurious furs and feathers, offering a dress coat with a rooster on the arm.
He wittily gave a slender and light 'Little Black Dress' a skeleton embroidered back, while his imagination ran free with a chandelier theme, even as a surreal crown under a bridal veil.
Creation for Givenchy
© AFP/File Pierre VerdyThe three-day run of shows drew stars from the screen and pop world, including Kylie Minogue, Elton John, Liv Tyler, Drew Barrymore, Cher, Catherine Deneuve and Mischa Barton.
Valentino, so often behind the creations worn by actresses and pop stars on the red carpet, did not disappoint with highly-polished floor-sweeping gowns and Russian references for embroidery.
And Elie Saab 'patchworked' lace, beading or draping, shiney and matt blacks and geometric patterns for fresh-faced glamour that would also delight any starlet stepping into the spotlight.
Lesser known designers Felipe Oliveira Baptista, of Portugal, sculpted a structured silhouette which at times displayed the skeleton of prehistoric animals, while Adeline Andre opted for very pure lines.
Creation for Christian Dior
© AFP Francois GuillotThe expense and intricate savoir-faire that goes into these entirely hand-made garments regularly prompts questions about whether haute couture is commercially viable in today's world.
But Didier Grumbach said that haute couture gave labels a competitive advantage, helped define a brand's image and was important for sales of accessories and perfume.
"It's supposed to increase the volume of the sales. It's a way by Internet and television to show the world that the merchandise is available," he said.
©AFP