Elie Saab Fall Couture 2011

Even the most devoted followers of fashion flip through the slides of couture shows and tell themselves that the garments they don't like are simply pieces of art, and that our opinions of them are subjective. We move onto those pieces that we do like, and our devotion of couturiers remains intact.

This was not the case for my viewing of Elie Saab's 2011 Fall Couture collection. Rather than seeing any looks that I didn't like (but was willing to look past) I would be hard pressed to find a single gown in this collection that was less than amazing. Each gown makes use of light, shear fabrics juxtaposed with Saab's experimentation with texture and embellishment. He makes use of different plunging and more conservative necklines while mixing high leg slits with shorter hems.

Saab's first couture collection was released only 8 years ago in 2003, and his work has become a red-carpet favourite. At the same time, his aesthetic has not differentiated much from previous collections (think Mila Kunis' purple Oscar gown.) This raises the question of whether sticking to a good thing (read: great) is what artists should do, or whether they should try something new.

Either way, this collection is fantastic, and sure to pop up all over red carpets in the near future.

Posted by Carla