Chanel, Dior, and Balenciaga Reclaim the Couture Runway

For creative director Pierpaolo Piccolo, couture is a group effort. Creating a community of artists, the Valentino couture collection titled Valentino Des Ateliers was a dialogue between Piccolo and painters whose work was imprinted onto the clothing. In true art form, the collection had a curator in Gianluigi Ricuperati who stated: "We must imagine Valentino Des Ateliers as a concert for two distinct worlds— painting and Haute Couture, contemporary art and clothing art—in which each side's own voices listen to each other’s song before pronouncing themselves." The impassioned presentation was soundtracked by an equally emotional performance by artist Cosima, crooning Sade's 'By Your Side' as the Venetian sun set.

Since shuttering its couture line 50 years ago, Balenciaga, led by creative director Demna Gvasalia, is bringing it back. "The re-launch of a couture line will offer the highest creative and qualitative level of product for our customer, as well as complete my multi-layered vision for Balenciaga the brand, which ranges all the way up from streetwear into conceptual fashion and wardrobe and ultimately into one-of-a-kind, made-to-measure couture pieces,” Gvasalia stated in the atelier's collection notes. What we see are delicate nods to Cristobal Balenciaga's legacy in the form of signature voluptuous gowns and futuristic headwear, married with Gvasalia's own modern vision of denim-as-couture. Oh, and Ella Emhoff starred in the lookbook. Need we say more?

“Rome is a fascinating city because it has so many pasts—and I was drawn to Pasolini because I have always been inspired by his vision of the world,” says Kim Jones about the late Roman poet and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. “He is something of an outsider in Roman history, but one whose voice remains constant." The artist's romanticized version of Rome became a focal point for Jones's couture collection for Fendi, presented in a video directed by Luca Guadagnino (of Call Me By Your Name fame).

It's safe to rely on Schiaparelli's Daniel Roseberry to bring opulence to couture. Known for his eccentric hand with garb favored by Gaga and the avant garde ilk, the end result always comes with a side of excitement. Gilded breastplates are contrasted by outrageous accessories, sleeves are bloated with hand-embroidered rosettes, and the closing wedding dress comes with a built-in disco ball.