Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2011: Christian Dior

A Tribute to René Gruau...

Grace Kelly 2011: Dior Haute Couture Spring 2011

Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2011 Fashion Week began yesterday in Paris, following the Menswear Shows--and so the "Oscars Gowns Race" begins...First up Christian Dior Haute Couture by John Galliano.

Theme: It was a Tribute to renowned illustrator... René Gruau (above) who worked for numerous magazines including Elle, L'Officiel, Vogue, and Marie Claire, among others, as well as doing several of the Dior ad campaigns.

He gave life to the stunning Haute Couture creations in the magazines showing the exaggerated shapes and ultra elegant emotions only Haute Couture can emote. As a result, Gruau popularized and expanded its worldwide appeal.

Oscar Gown, No Alterations Needed: On a non-5'11" actress, this will hit the FLOOR, Dior Haute Couture Spring 2011

Trends: For Spring 2011, Galliano played on the "Ultimate Dior Muse": Wasp-waisted, 50's silhouettes; High-low (shorter in front, longer in back) dresses; Grace Kelly in Monaco-meets-Princess Soraya of Iran; Vermillion reds, rose pinks, nudes, ivory, bronzed copper, ombre iridescent shadings; Gowns, Gowns and More Gowns (it's COUTURE darlings!).

Office Couture: Dior Haute Couture Spring 2011

Tim Blanks, of Style.com said this: It was remarkable that such extravagance managed to capture the speed, the spontaneity, the airiness, even the economy of the illustrator's work. Opulently swagged tops and gowns bobbed and floated like billowing sails. One utterly gorgeous thing hid roses in clouds of white marabou. Dior's New Look was an obvious source point for skirts that flared from corseted waists or dropped pencil-thin to below the knee from rounded hips.

Here I offer some of my favorites which you might see at the Academy Awards Red Carpet...