This year the opening of the Haute Couture Week in Paris coincided with a significant date: 100 years since the birth day of the world most famous designer. His first show in 1947 turned out to be the starting point of the new époque of the modern design and fashion. Among his pupils there have been many generations of couturiers, whose names make the whole modern constellation, where he, without any doubt, is the main star. Christian Dior the name itself is the symbol of fashion. Now Christian Dior is the most interesting and successful House of fashion. Of course the main merit in this is due to John Galliano, who has been in charge of the House since 1996. This season the atmosphere of the traditional public excitement for Christian Dior’s show on the Haute Couture week was warmed by the reduction of the seats for invited guests from usual 1300 to 500. This, on the one hand, allowed talking about the privacy of the arrangement and, on the other hand, it gave the right for the lucky people who got there to feel their belonging to the highest caste of the elite. John 
Galliano did not disappoint his guests, who were looking forward to another shock, as usual. As a basis he took the elegance of the French court of the time of queen Josephine, he bravely mixed it with a provoking style of pop-art of the 60th. This detonating mixture from huge sun glasses, luxurious embroideries, panty-hoses in grid, light classical skirts, a bit lifted in the front, wide belts and extravagant clasps can really find their place in the wardrobes of rich people.
The chief Chanel couturie Karl Lagerfeld demonstrated once again his talent in creating unique form within the limits of the purely French fashion. The House collection, done in a luxurious atmosphere of Versailles of the madam Poppadur époque, caused public admiration. Soft pale shades, pink shoes, elegant big bows, beads, lifted waist, skirts that are a bit lower than knees (knees, in Lagerfeld’s opinion, are the most unprofitable part of a woman’s body, that needs to be hidden), and suits and Channel dresses in a traditional black-white range, that has already become legendary. Karl Lagerfeld’s creative potential is indeed fantastic. Simultaneously the maitre is working with his brand Gallery Lagerfeld, introducing it in Paris during the week of prêt-a porte; and for Milan week he has been working successfully with Fendi House for a long time, that has already become a model in fur fashion. Carla Fendi once noticed: “At Fendi: Fur was never ‘out’. We have always treated fur like the most luxurious fabric.” This year Lagerfeld showed not only luxurious Byzantium like long coats and tiny boleros, but also generously used fur trimmings practically in all Fendi collection. At first sight collection Gallery Lagerfeld was more reserved and calm,
but much adjusted in cutting and details: clear-cut mink list on geometrically ideal collars-êàðå, the simplest black sweater jerseys with casual cuffs from silver fox, that give the illusion of short-cut sleeves ¾ together with a marvelous hat: a laconic design “pipe”, bordered with luxurious fox trimming.
Lagerfeld’s capacity for work can be compared only with that of Giorgio Armani, who as tanned and fresh as usual. Under the same brand Giorgio Armani he shows three collections: at the week of the High fashion, men and women week of prêt-a-porte in Milan, and two more (men’s and women’s) under the brand Emporio 
Armani, designed for young customers. This season the designer for the first time has been using furs in his men’s collection. Getting a bit cool to “street style”, the maitre returns to the traditions of a classical Italian suit, by making it more loose and comfortable. It was especially noticeable in the “adult” collection: a complete absence of ties, comfortable pullovers under jackets from expensive fabrics, wide soft trousers. A young man from Emporio Armani needs to produce a nice impression on his business partners, that’s why a tie is a must (even with a bomber-jacket). But being strict in silhouette the classical double-breasted suits are designed in “not protocol” velveteen and velvet, that is just typical of the season now. Furs in collections were divided very strictly: in Giorgio Armani it was classical trimmings and clips, in Emporio Armani it was a democratic raccoon on the collars, and an unusual (as if it were from a transvestite show) accessory – a fox boa, dyed in anthracite color, it looked masculine-like and original. To expected fur collars at classical cashmere coats, trimmed hoods on sport vests and fur linings practically every trendsetter of menswear added a full fur coat this season. Some designers limited themselves to strict mink in classic “masculine” colors: Hugo Boss – used black for his loose coat, Ermenegildo Zegna – brown for cardigans, and Gianfranco Ferre – used rare natural dark grey mink “blue iris” for a classical blazer. The others were attracted by an unusual style: Roberto Cavalli used traditionally “feminine” fur, soft chinchilla for a long decadent coat, casually thrown over a sedate English suit.Gucci designed a double-breasted coat of the time of Klondike’s generation from undeservedly forgotten fisher fur. By the way this texture, not comparable to any other, was used by Louis Vuitton, Jean Paul Gaultier, DSquared2. That’s why we can suppose that fisher revolted from modern ignorance can soon surpass coyote – at the moment the most popular wild fur among designers. Furs have long established a reputation of a material that easily embodies the style of any House. So, traditional camel coats from Max Mara look perfect with mink trimmings; “zigzag” from Missoni, as usual, soft and knitted this season designed in mink. Enthusiastic Louis Vuitton uses chinchilla, known for its price, in bag trimmings. 
The queen of jersey Sonya Rykiel succeeds in giving the effect of a sensible evening dress to comfortable knitted fabric. In solving this problem luxurious long-nap furs really help. Elegant feminity of Allesandro Dell’Acqua is emphasized by ordinary mink boleros. The fur coat in violent-green colors, designed by Vincent Darre for Emanuel Ungaro’s label reminds of the first experience of the greatest designer, when he used to work in close cooperation with Cristobal Balenciaga. Continuing the style of a small black dress by Coco Chanel, Miuccia Prada designs clothes that amaze people by their simplicity with a wonderful cutting technique. Contemptuously ignoring malicious attacks of the PETA activists, a Prada woman, arrogant and self-assured, is traditionally showed in nostalgic black karakul. Furs are perfectly combined with Marni minimalism and with the disco of the 70th by Dolce&Gabbana and with the sensibility of Versace.
Never before have there been so many fur models in New York Fall 2005 fashion presentations and not only at podiums but also among the fashion public. Watching this tendency a famous master of style James Aguiar noticed: “Natural fur is a new fashion tendency”. A transnational brand Ralph Rucci is practically the only American House that got the right to display its collections haute couture in Paris. A clear-cut silhouette, wonderful cutting, complicated constructions and irreproachable style are the main parts of his success. This year because of a family tragedy Ralph Rucci did not take part in the week of High fashion, but his strong classical collection, displayed in New-York, was worth to have a place in the wardrobe of the most demanding fashionable woman. Oscar De La Renta left high fashion, but he did not lose his wonderful ability to work with material and silhouette, having offered his devoted clients a collection, that could compete with the best models of couture style. In classically simple but at the same time sensible models of Caroline Herrera luxurious materials were used: furs, tweed, silk flannel and cashmere. The upper part of the suit was accentuated with the help of a delicate cut, knee-length tight skirts and fur jackets. The clients of the leader of the American fashion industry Michael Kors should to have a perfect figure, as it is this fact that the designer stakes on. Long tight skirts, stressed waists, sensible trouser suits reminded of the fashion of the 40th of the last century. Designer’s craving for unobtrusive luxury of fox fur was showed in collars, small jackets and I perfect coats. The title for the most sensational and well-known collection, undoubtedly, should be given to Jennifer Lopez. Working together with a fur company SAGA FURS the famous pop star introduced a collection “Sweet face”, where the furs looked unusually and sexy. Freezing temperatures and gusting winds in London on the Week of High Fashion gave a perfect excuse to the must-have luxury – furs. And nowhere were there more fur and more of glamour than at Julien Macdonald's show. One can explain his love for furs by his friendly stance to the Russian market whom he sells 70% of his order book. Ben Johnson and Billy James designers of Two B also got interested in furs in their collection. 
Blue mink bomber with a red poppy and a green leaf from a women’s collection, perfectly well corresponded to men’s fur models: unbelievably soft knitted jumper from black mink, long full fur coat from silver fox and elegant tuxedo from trimmed mink a “pearl” with a black collar. Answering the question why they had chosen such luxurious materials, Billy James said:
“There is nothing better than furs”. Silhouettes in the style of the 20th of the last century from Clements Ribeiro, introduced in elegant black and white color scale with addition of all shades of red, brown and dark-grey, were meant for the real expert of the fashionable costume creation. Elegant details, short- cut fur jackets, functional suits and feminine like evening dresses – the designers seem to have the goal to satisfying the clients of all modern trends. Fur coats were a success: white mink with intarsia of black fox: one – knee-length, the other – short jacket and streamy from dyed black fox, cut in stripes on stretch base. As a nice joke the closing bride emerged in pink knickers, wrapped in pink fur and to strains of Henry Mancini’s soundtrack for the Pink Panther. Designer of Central Saint Martins Pascal Fini created a nice collection that was Ferrari red, and was quintessentially French. He revealed excellent tailoring skills and an intensity of ideas, from shiny plastic hat-covered head to toe and included a mink coat which hung long at the front and cropped to the waist at the back. In general almost every designer who introduced his or her collection at the show fall/winter 20005/2006, used at least some fur. Without new techniques never before have furs seemed to be so seamlessly incorporated into the ready-to-wear clothes. Furs played an important part in details and appealing accessories: collars, gorgets, scarves, pompons, bags, earrings, beads, mittens and socks. The hits of the season were vests, small mantlets and boleros. Anna Wintour, Chief Editor American Vogue, concluded the main opinion of the press with the following words: “Fur is undoubtedly the number one fashion accessory this season. And I’m not just talking about a traditional fur coat. There is fur trim as sweaters, coats, even dresses. There are fur hats and bags.” But perhaps the most sincere answer for the reasons of fur popularity was given by an old admirer of furs – a well-known French actress Catherine Deneuve: “Why do I wear the real fur? Because it’s voluptuous, sumptuous, very beautiful, very warm and very soft.”
Photogallery: Paris Haute Couture Fashion week
Photogallery: New York Ready -To-Wear, fall/winter
Photogallery: Milan Ready -To-Wear, fall/winter
Photogallery: Paris Ready -To-Wear, fall/winter
Photogallery: Milan&Paris Manswear, fall/winter