DEMURE COUTURE.

Atelier Versace

Anne Valerie Hash

Armani Prive'

As much as I adore the 'Haute Couture' season, especially when it's over-the-top, never-going-to-be-able-to-wear-this-anywhere exhuberance slaps us right in the face, I have to say, I am growing a little tired of all the hoopla.

Now, not many women can wear these creations much less afford them. And because most of us lose or never receive our invitations to the Oscars or that Wedding of a Greek Royal, we can only sit back in our armchair, flip through Vogue, and marvel at the wonder of Haute Couture.

Haute Couture is made-to-order for a specific customer, usually oil rich, cashed up women who's faces are stretched within an inch of their lives to the point of being one big stretch mark! But I digress.

Made from expensive fabric of the highest possible quality, the garments are sewn with extreme attention to detail. This is most often time consuming and precise, delicate hand execution is required.

The term 'Haute Couture' is protected by law and is defined explicitly by the 'Chambre de Commerce et d'industrie de Paris'. The criteria for 'Haute Couture' was established in 1945 and updated in 1992.

The 'Haute Couture' collections were shown in Paris last week and although I thought ANNE VALERIE HASH's collection was superb, everything else was the usual in-your-face eclectic spectacle we've come to expect. I've chosen a selected FEW pieces I loved.

Tres Parisienne Chic!