Chanel
Karl Lagerfeld presented his SS15 Couture collection for Chanel amidst a jungle of incredible paper flowers that bloomed mechanically as model Baptiste Giabiconi watered them with his CC-branded watering can. The clothes, a range of flat sock-booties, bared midriffs, slouchy skirts with flower appliqués and huge puffy beanies, all embodied the very current inclinations of fashionable women.

Dior
Raf Simons presented a show full of unconventional materials and a bright colour palette. In his hallucinogenic collection that channelled a futuristic aesthetic there was one essential element: plastic. Maybe the unlikeliest material when it comes to couture, however the overload of unlikely material mixing and matching together, made this collection a sensory delight.

Schiaparelli
Joining Gucci in the production of a collection without a creative director, Schiaparelli presented a SS15 Couture show entirely pulled together by the in-house team. The former head designer, Marco Zanini left last July. However, though it's true that committee-designed collections aren’t usually well-received, this show was a pleasant surprise. The clothes were exuberant. The silhouettes, fabrics and prints were embellished with sequins, ribbons and cropped boleros. 

Valentino
This collection was all about love and romance. Embroidered with quotes from Dante's Inferno, the clothes had that signature Valentino glamour but also a touch of the current designers’ craftiness. The main source of inspiration was Marc Chagall's paintings and his Russian ancestry. 

Bouchra Jarrar
It’s a well known fact that Bouchra Jarrar makes day wear her main focus, even with couture. This season was no different, and that’s what sets her apart from the couture club in Paris. The collection consisted of miniskirts, although Jarrar is known to be a pants girl. Short hemlines, PVC trouser, and silky blouses plus the shiny materials and diagonal zips were quite a kinky statement. 

Atelier Versace
The idea behind the collection was, as Donatella Versace told Style.com, “to go back to the shape of a woman’s body. Which is curvy”. Every detail of this collection was curved. Not one hem was straight. Not a single bead was seen adorning the clothes, instead, Versace shifted all attention to fit and cut, which were executed exquisitely. 
 

Text by Alexis Barron