Christian Dior, AW15, Haute Couture, Paris.

The Autumn-Winter 2015 collection at Christian Dior was filled with bold, immediate design elements such as contrast sleeves and asymmetric outerwear, but there were also quieter and more subtle details with carefully placed darts, pleats and feathers.

One of the key garments of the collection was an asymmetrical piece of outerwear that was cut in different varieties that seemed to blur the boundary between coats and capes. These pieces were often cut with lots of volume, oversized pockets and asymmetric hems. The sleeve shapes were also interesting on these pieces since, aside from being cut in contrast materials, the sleeves were shaped with large, wide hems.

Some of the quieter embellishments created for the collection related to a mottled print that appeared on pleated dresses and knitwear. Very small feathers, or very small sections of feathers, were used to create subtle surface texture across dresses. Tiny tucks and pleats also appeared throughout the collection, creating subtle ridges on both plain and printed fabrics.

Interesting dynamics were also created with the use of layering in the collection. Pieces made of metal links and metal rings, and embellished with what appears to be gemstones, were layered over the top of other garments. In a way, perhaps this is a more wearable form of couture – with removable pieces it becomes easier to mix and match to create different effects.

Images from Vogue.co.uk»