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SHOWTIME IN PARIS ON HAUTE COUTURE RUNWAYS

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7 JULY 2006

Just when you thought voluminous shapes were done and dusted, Chanel, Valentino and co make the silhouette de rigueur for fall fashion. Bell-shaped skirts and flared evening dresses are ruling the autumn runways - beautifully crafted with jewels and brocade - as the top designers continue to set the catwalks alight at Paris Fashion Week.

Karl Lagerfeld gave a youthful twist to the Chanel label with his girlish, bell-skirt numbers. The master couturier created a gem of a look with his exquisite jewel-encrusted mini-dresses inspired by the court of Elizabeth I teamed with post-modern thigh-high boots in distressed denim.

Valentino continued the look with his voluminous cocktail dresses and heavily embellished swing coats, this time referencing folkloric Russian style. The designer, now in his 70s, received the Legion of Honour this week for his services to French fashion and it's not hard to see why. His flawless evening dresses, as always, were the highlight of the show. Fabulous frocks in stiff satins and brocades that flared from below the bust joined a show-stopping tiered scarlet number.

At Christian Lacroix there was no escaping the bright hues of the coming season. Rich tones of purple, turquoise and red appeared even on the models' couture tights. The collection paid homage to the new volumes with egg-shaped coats, balloon sleeves and waistless shifts, but captured a timeless romantic spirit with feminine tulle and taffeta.

Of course couture wouldn't be couture without John Galliano. The enfant terrible lived up to his avant garde reputation with an eclectic show for Dior that combined medieval warrior-women in chain mail with Forties-style ladies in double-jacketed suits with lobster-inspired hats. In a fitting finale the designer took his bow in an astronaut suit.