Haute Couture F/W '14 Trend Report: All red everything

A Viktor&Rolf dress from the F/W '14
Haute Couture collection illustrated by me

Each Haute Couture season there is one super-popular color that makes editors and audience members go crazy. This time it was the color red - and we are talking about lots of it, in every shade imaginable.

The most eye-catching parade of all red looks was Viktor & Rolf's F/W '14 show. This season marked the duo's second time making couture after their long break from the extremely creative side of the business and as per they brought their
witty sense of humor along. The collection consists of twenty two red looks that unlike the competitors' garments created
for the red carpet, are actually made of one.

Another successful attempt at the all-red trend was Giorgio Armani's elegant fairy-tale. The classic Italian designer deci-ded to show a tricolored collection that put an emphasis on
the importance of red, thus showing incredibly sculpted eve-ning wear in the fiery color which is surely to turn heads on
the red carpet come awards season.

The color was inevitable in almost every other collection. Hussein Chalayn's first attempt at Vionnet saw the designer play with different shades of red in the form of pleats; Karl Lagerfeld injected the color in his feminine three-piece suits woven with concrete for Chanel; Alexandre Vauthier over-embellished a red mini with sparkling crystals and Russian socialite-cum-designer Ulyana Sergeenko used it as one of the colors for her gradient furs.

Red also found itself on the runways at Schiaparelli in the form of a fuzzy red coat, at Valentino as a long evening dress tied with a leather belt and at Jean Paul Gaultier, Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad used alongside an ombre technique for a more glamorous effect.

From left: Models from Armani Prive, Vionnet, Chanel & Alexandre Vauthier's F/W '14 Haute Couture collections

Get the Oscars look for less: Cate Blanchett

The best part of the Oscars each year for every one of us is the red carpet and all the beautiful looks we see from various stars. Unfortunately, only few people can afford the looks celebrities wear.

Which is why I give you an affordable version of Cate Blanchett's look that almost everyone can buy!

1. Miss Selfridge embellished dress - $210 | 2. Adriana Orsini drop earrings - $135 | 3. Kate Spade New York bow ring - $24 | 4. Krystal Swarovski bracelet - $72

The legendary actress Cate Blanchett picked up her second Oscar for Best Leading Actress this year in a nude embellished Armani Privé gown. If you want to look like the actress on the big night, buy this version of her dress from Miss Selfridges and adorn it with beautifully selected silver jewels plus a romantic bow ring.

Would you wear this look?

What will Cate Blanchett wear to Oscars 2014?

As we are counting down the days until the 86th Academy Awards, we all probably have one question in mind: "What will the big stars wear on the red carpet?"

To answer your question, here is my prediction about the beautiful Cate Blanchett.

There is no doubt that Cate Blanchett is a big Armani fan - she has worn Giorgio Armani to a lot of events throughout the years and has never missed the mark when it comes to her fashion choices. Considering she is this year's favorite to pick up the Oscar for Leading Actress, I believe Ms. Blanchett will go with Armani Privé on the big night, choosing either an embellished gown or a romantic pantsuit

(which would be a rather daring choice) from the S/S '14 collection.

Ms. Blanchett has also religiously worn brands like Givenchy, Alexander McQueen and Valentino and has looked stunning in their creations, so she might also pick a garment from one of their new collections or have something custom made which is fit for a star of her range.

Which designer do you think Cate Blanchett is going to wear to this year's Academy Awards?

Which designer do you think Cate Blanchett is going to wear to this year's Academy Awards?
	Armani Privé
	Givenchy
	Alexander McQueen
	Valentino
	Other
pollcode.com free polls

Stay tuned as more outfit predictions for stars like Lupita Nyong'o, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Lawrence are coming soon!

Haute Couture S/S '13 Review: Armani Privé

When it comes to Giorgio Armani and his shows, there is this interesting phenomenon I've noticed: his ready-to-wear shows are almost never themed, while his couture opens up a different magical world each season. The reason for that might be that safety-net I discussed few posts ago, to make sure his company makes profit. And while the RTW shows are always a snooze-fest, couture gets me very excited. This season was no exception, as Mr. Armani presented us a Middle East fairy tale like we've never seen before.

What did he try to do?

Whatever was on his mind - translated perfectly well on the runway. We saw a variety of silk gazar pieces in rich warm colors such as orange, yellow and red who were just a sweet addition to the sea of neutral-colored outfits. The models strut down the runway wearing queen-resembling headpieces that made them look like they were in charge. The standard Armani silhouettes were turned up a notch by being adorned with lots of embellishments and colorful prints splattered over rough silk. And for evening wear, we got the dose of glamour desperately needed around Awards season.

What would I change?

There's not much on the list: there were a few gray printed pieces towards the middle that ruined the glamorous feel of the collection. The wigs could have been less greasy looking - that was a rather distracting part. Armani definitely needs stronger casts.

What would I keep?

The voluminous oriental-printed gowns were to-die-for. A lot of sharp-looking tailored pantsuits that made the collection even stronger. The headpieces - including the makeup, were a definite high-point of the show and brought the couture drama. Evening wear was impeccable as always.

Favorite look?

Don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas by leaving me a comment below!

Photo credit: style.com