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The Valentino Couture spring 2015 collection is truly out of this world. Designers Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri wrapped up their show with a lineup of the most ethereal, breathtaking creations to glide down a runway. Exquisitely embroidered and finely spun from the sheerest fabrics, each heavenly concoction was a beautiful cloud of couture (and some literally so).
One design was treated to a whisper of sky blue, with a sheer plunging bodice, a dreamy cloud print, and a sprinkle of shine and cursive script all over. And another had iridescent rainbows all over that shimmered through a delicate layer of tulle.
RELATED: Kendall Jenner and Mom Kris Jenner Both Wear Sheer at the Chanel Couture Show
But it was the lyrical scrawl-like script on the dresses that communicated a more literal message. The final look, while plain at first glance, had the words "Amor Vincit Omnia" stitched across the corset in reference to the Italian artist Caravaggio's 1601-1602 painting of the Roman Cupid. It translates to "love conquers all."
In case you were wondering: Yes, this is what love and dreams are made of.
Dreamy Creations at Valentino Couture
Each heavenly concoction was like a beautiful cloud of couture-literally. One design was treated to a whisper of sky blue, with a sheer plunging bodice, a dreamy cloud print, and a sprinkle of shine and cursive script all over. And another had iridescent rainbows all over that shimmered through a delicate layer of tulle.
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A Literal Message From Valentino Couture
Designers Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri sent a literal message, with a cursive script embroidered all over. One of them was "Amor Vincit Omnia," a reference to the Italian artist Caravaggio's 1601-1602 painting of the Roman Cupid, which, translated, reads: "Love Conquers All."
Elie Saab Couture's New Silhouettes
Designer Elie Saab took liberties with his spring 2015 couture creations, playing with unexpected silhouettes, like a sexy plunging jumpsuit, short playful frocks lined with ostrich plumes, and embroidered robes.
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Nostalgic Tulips at Elie Saab Couture
For his spring 2015 couture collection, Elie Saab took a walk down memory lane and used his mother's tulip-print dress as the basis for his stunning floral-embroidered creations
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Out-to-There Garden Frocks at Viktor & Rolf
The garden-party frocks at the Viktor amp Rolf Couture show were so voluminous in their silhouette, the floral-strewn hemlines were caught (though intentionally) in the straw spokes perched on each model's head.
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Deniim-Inspired Ball Gowns
Leave it to Jean Paul Gaultier to transform a textile so classic and pedestrian into couture. For spring 2015, he brought the overalls trend to a whole new level with an overall ball gown. And he transformed jeans into a frothy tulle skirt that he paired with satin bodice.
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Split Personalities On the Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Runway
Jean Paul Gaultier fused two different silhouettes (and at times contrasting colors and fabrics, too) into one single dress.
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Naomi Campbell Does Her Famous Walk
Jean Paul Gaultier enlisted Naomi Campbell's famous walk to close his spring 2015 couture show. The supermodel was clad in a sheer floral-accented micro dress with a "Gaultier Paris" name tag affixed at the neckline and a sash at the waist.
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Bamboo Was the Name of the Game at Armani Prive
Giorgio Armani struck serenity for his spring 2015 couture collection, with a delightful play on bamboo. Larger-than-life bamboo-inspired pillars lined the runway and bamboo prints were beaded, embossed, or embroidered on pieces throughout. But what was most impressive was the bamboo-lookalike stoles spun from organza.
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Karate Belts in Armani Prive Eveningwear
For spring 2015 couture, Giorgio Armani drew inspiration from the East. Aside from integrating a strong bamboo theme throughout, he also brought obi belts to new, elevated heights.
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Kendall Jenner Makes Her Second Chanel Couture Appearance
For spring 2015, Jenner played a part in Karl Lagerfeld's magical garden of high-fashion flowers in a sheer black crop top and a dreamy floral-appliqued ankle-grazing skirt, complete with a netted veil and tall black boots.
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A "Gardener" Opens the Chanel Couture Show
Forget couture for a sec! To maintain the high-fashion garden theme, Karl Lagerfeld opened the show with a male model as a gardener, who came equipped with a straw hat and a watering can.
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Traditional Tweed, Re-imagined
Karl Lagerfeld treated Chanel's traditional tweed to unexpected finishes, like fringe hemlines, sheer skirt underlays, midriff-baring pieces, and all-over sequins.
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A Dramatic Bold Beauty Look at Chanel Couture
To offset Chanel's largely pastel garden party, makeup artist Tom Pecheux gave each model a bold red lip, dramatic brows (that almost looked like a unibrow at a quick glance), complete with netted veils.
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The Flower Bride at the Chanel Couture Show
The crown jewel of Karl Lagerfeld's garden party? The blooming bride whose skirt and train was fashioned from a cascade of white flowers. She was trailed by the a flock of garden boys, with each carrying a bouquet of blooms. Now that's a finale.
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Giambattista Valli Whips Up a New "Cupcake Dress"
Valli has re-imagined the cupcake dress, taking it to new, extraordinary heights for spring 2015 couture. Leading up to the finale, he sent out shiny separates affixed with decadent ruffled cotton candy-esque capes, each washed in the same pale shade. And finally, he closed the show with a frothy rose pink tiered dress that was as voluminous as it was achingly sweet (center). If that's not the very definition of a cupcake dress, we don't know what is.
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Coat + Skirt + Pants = The New Three-Piece
Men have their three-piece suit separates. For spring 2015, women do too, with Giambattista Valli Couture's new three-piece formula, which comprises a blazer (or coat), a skirt, and slick wide-leg trousers.
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Collars Go Victorian At Giambattista Valli
Necklines went up, up, up at the Giambattista Valli Haute Couture spring 2015 show. Dresses and tops got the Victorian treatment with pretty pale pink ruffled high-neck collars.
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Crazy Onesies Ruled Dior Haute Couture
At the Dior Haute Couture spring 2015 show, there were one-pieces wonderfully and chaotically printed in haphazard lines punctuated with graphic shapes, and there were others that were striped and doused in all-over sequins.
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Couture-Treated Raincoats
Let it rain! Raf Simons inspired awe and shock when he opened the Dior Haute Couture spring 2015 show with what could be mistaken for raincoats, albeit fancy raincoats. Crafted from, we can only venture to guess, PVC and printed with scenic florals, the idyllic plastic toppers practically upstaged the sequin-encrusted minis underneath.
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A Nod to Pretty Woman
Was inspiration taken from Pretty Woman? It sure looked like it! With their cut-outs and silver ring, a couple of the dresses that walked the Dior Haute Couture spring 2015 show were strongly reminiscent of Vivian Ward's (played by Julia Roberts) risque look in Pretty Woman.
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Mild to Wild at Dior Haute Couture
The Dior Haute Couture spring 2015 show ran from demure floral pannier-style pieces (a Marie Antoinette-inspired silhouette that carried over from last season's couture show) to wild cut-out numbers with abandon.
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Stars at the Dior Haute Couture Show
Natalie Portman took her front row seat at the Dior Haute Couture spring 2015 show in top-to-toe Dior, adding a tiny hint of shine with a silk satin skirt and accessorizing it with a black cashmere top, a tweed topper, and dark accessories. Elizabeth Olsen was also clad in all Dior, baring her legs in a tweed jacquard dress that she accessorized with a jacket, clutch and pumps.
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Quirky Prints Galore at Schiaparelli
Though these aren't as zany as Marco Zanini's prints from last season's, the Schiaparelli in-house design team dreamed up quirky enough prints for spring 2015 couture, like fluttering hearts, detached hands, and ornamental mirrors.
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The Art of Dressmaking at Schiaparelli
The team at Schiaparelli gave us a behind the seams look at fashion with prints of dressmaking pins sprinkled here and there, with accompanying jewelry crafted from actual dressmaking pins. How fitting!
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Actresses at the Atelier Versace Show, Both On and Off the Runway
Kate Hudson assumed the role of Guest of Honor at the Atelier Versace spring 2015 show. And she dressed the part-she was outfitted in a red-hot cut-out number from the new collection. But she wasn't the actress there. Amber Valletta closed the show in a similar, equally racy cut-out design.
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Atelier Versace Speaks in Symbols
Aside from its signature sexy silhouettes, Versace is known for its Greek key symbol. At the Atelier Versace spring 2015 show, there was a slight deviation when symbols, like circles and arrows, were splashed across minis and knee-high boots.
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John Galliano's Debut Collection for Maison Martin Margiela
John Galliano has returned to the fashion scene (after being unceremoniously ousted from Christian Dior three years) at the helm of Maison Martin Margiela. In InStyle Fashion News Director Eric Wilson's words, Galliano's first collection for Margiela "alternately jarring and sublime." Read the full review.
