16 Spring 2014 Couture Shows

This season's Spring 2014 Couture week was an odd juxtaposition to what is going on in fashion in the realm of ready-to-wear. While the still unstable economy has ushered in a new more conservative look, couture, a usually overblown and covered up affair, is embracing a sexier side. Maybe it's just that the only people who can still party are the well off. Giambattista Valli and Alexandre Vauthier both showed creations that could easily be seen at a wild night club.

This Spring 2014 Couture week was also all about firsts. Bouchra Jarrar gave her first show as an official couturier. There hasn't been a woman pronounced a couturier in over 30 years. Raf Simons showed his first couture collection at the helm of Dior, while Hussein Chalayan showed what he could create for Vionnet.