Philadelphia Fashion Week Haute Couture Show 9/4/15

Hello! This past Friday, I attended Philadelphia Fashion Week's couture show and was absolutely blown away. The organizers of the event sent me a press pass to cover the fashion of the show on my blog. This is yet another opportunity that blogging has presented me with and I'm extremely grateful for. Sitting in the press section Friday night as I jotted down quick notes and snapped hundreds of photos, I truly felt like I was exactly where I belonged. I can't wait to graduate this May and begin working in the fashion industry and Friday night was almost a bit of a taste of what networking and working in the fashion industry will feel like. Anyways, more about the show! 

The second that I walked into the Crane Art Center in Philadelphia, the venue that the show was being held in, I could sense the intense energy and anticipation for the show. The couture show kicked off the last night of Philadelphia Fashion Week and fashionable show-goers were eager to see the finale. Show-goers were also dressed to the nines and you can check out their looks in my last blog post. 

Seven designers showed their lines last night and they all caused my jaw to drop in awe; they all produced such interesting collections. The brands represented at the show were Burning Guitars, Ayasa Afi, Closet by Christobal, Jenny Lee Maas, D Marsh Couture, Autumn Lin and Gordana Gelhausen. 

Flowing silhouettes, feminine detail and neutral colors like beige and white were key elements of all of the collections. 

Burning Guitars. This was a very interesting collection and had an eclectic mix of various prints and colors. I really loved the first dress above; the holographic reptile print spices up a simple silhouette. It's very funky, almost of out this world kind of cool. There were also several incredible suits; they seemed very 70's oriental to me with the patchwork detail and oriental inspired prints. 

Ayasa Afi. Sophistication, elegance, femininity. This collection featured a mix of neutral colors, feminine silhouettes and airy textures. These gowns didn't walk down the runway, it was more like they glided and floated down the runway. They reminded of something out of a fairytale.  

Closet by Christobal. This collection seemed to be divided into two different lines within itself. On one hand, a series of bright, bold, glowing gowns captured my heart such as the top two looks in this photoset. And then on the other hand, there were the more utilitarian, professional looks that revolved around khaki and beige as well as more workplace friendly silhouettes as well as briefcases. 

Jenny Lee Maas. Wow. The second that the first look headed down the runway, I fell in love with this collection. Of course, I enjoyed all the collections last night but Jenny Lee Maas' collection was definitely my favorite.  The use of lace and feather textures, neutral colors, elaborate headpieces and flowing, feminine silhouettes gave the collection a sort of ethnic goddess kind of vibe. 

D Marsh Couture. Menswear typically doesn't interest me as much as women's wear does but wow, this collection was phenomenal. The use of primarily all-white looks, classic blazers, French-inspired berets and just a pop of turquoise makes this line incredibly aesthetically interesting. It's very "elite boarding school student meets preppy Parisian messenger boy" and I don't think I could be any more in love with it. 

Autumn Lin. This cutting edge collection relied on futuristic detail and surprising edgy silhouettes. Although the designer relied on neutral colors like blacks and creams, this collection feels very new and modern. I'm very impressed with this collection because it almost feels like nothing I've ever seen before yet it blows me away and I think that's exactly what fashion is about. 

I'm a huge fan of the first look as well as the last look in this photoset. The glimmering fabric of the first dress feels sort of out of this world (without being an obnoxious galaxy print) like it has surpassed fashion on earth and originates from another planet. As for the last dress, I adore how the dress is glaringly simple yet incredibly complex at the same time thanks to the 3-D detailing. 

Gordana Gelhausen. This collection has a goddess sort of vibe to it and I can't help but swoon over the incredible use of airy textures, flowing silhouettes and soft colors. Breathtakingly beautiful. Romantically feminine. Those are just a couple phrases that I would use to describe this line. In particular, the first gown really caught my attention. The use of the nude-colored fabric as well as sheer fabric with white, scrunched up tulle detailing creates an incredibly appealing aesthetic. It sparks curiosity about the dress and I wasn't able to stop staring at it.

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