The Ten Best Shows from London, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks

New York Fashion Week was amazing for me because I actually got to experience it firsthand. However, dare I say it, I think some of the European shows managed to completely crush NYFW! Unfortunately, because I am neither a famous celebrity nor a top fashion editor, I didn't get to see any of those gorgeous shows in person. Personally, what I really love about the European shows is the amount of theatrics. The designers there truly understand that a fashion show is well, a show! Although there were very few I actually disliked (heres looking at you Kanye), there were ten that easily stood out as my favorites.


1. Prada (Milan): Seriously, nobody does it like Miuccia Prada. Every last detail in the collection was absolutely gorgeous. The 50s ladylike elements and pleats were beautiful yet the cars and the flames gave it a very "Grease-esque" edge. I love how she follows all the way through with the theme from the car set up in the venue down to the flames on the shoes (really though, how amazing are they?). Prada won last spring with 77 magazine covers and I predict another season of domination ahead!

2. Louis Vuitton (Paris): This collection honestly took my breath away. The clothes themselves were beautiful but the carousel in the middle with models perched on top is what really did it for me. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Marc Jacobs is a genius. From the pastel colors to all of the lace, everything about this collection was whimsical and pretty much perfect. Oh, and did I mention Kate Moss closed the show? Yeah. Enough said.



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3. Chanel (Paris): Ok, Karl Lagerfeld, are you kidding me? This under-the-sea inspired collection was everything. To start, there were over 80 looks! That is positively insane in the best way, because there is no such thing as too much Chanel. There was the typical boxy tweed but in addition there were amazing pieces with new, creative fabrics, gorgeous ruffles, and an iridescent sheen to almost every look. And can we please discuss the pearls? There were pearls everywhere; even used a belts and going down the back of the model's necks. The mother-of-pearl of course was Florence Welch who sang in a huge shell. Perfection.

4. Mulberry (London): Let's be honest. London is usually the least hyped fashion week, but Mulberry definitely brought some excitement this year. Guests were greeted at the entrance with tons of balloon animals and ice cream which set the stage for a super fun collection. There were tons of pleated skirts and cute raincoats but the standouts were definitely the fun prints and the blinged-out bomber jacket.

5. Dolce & Gabbana (Milan): This collection was positively stunning. The inspiration was "picturesque summertime in a small town in southern Italy circa the 1950's" and I think they nailed it! It started off with large, colorful prints of vegetables and then slowly graduated into a sleeker, sophisticated vibe. If I had my way, I'd wear the two piece, vegetable prints during the day and then hit the town in the sexy, bejeweled dress at night. (Also below is a quick look at the gorgeous, and last ever, D&G collection.)

6. Alexander McQueen (Paris): Although nobody will ever come close to being as incredibly mind blowing as McQueen was himself, Sarah Burton is doing a fabulous job at maintaining his legacy. Like Chanel, the McQueen collection was also underwater inspired. What was truely inspiring here was the attention to detail. Every last ruffle was fully thought through and the contrast of the almost opaque fabrics with the black leather and lace was breath taking. And, in typical McQueen fashion, there were the gorgeous, but ever-creepy face masks.

7. Isabel Marant (Paris): Girlfriend never gets it wrong, and this collection was no different. She literally dishes up exactly what girls want to wear. This time around, everything had a very relaxec vibe to it. Sporty and comfortable, yet cute and stylish. What more could a girl ask for? Really though, I didn't even know I wanted red, tie-dye jeans until she told me I did.

8. Christopher Kane (London): This collection was pure magic. Everything about it just worked. From the fabric with a sheen to the floral appliqués, everything was stunning. The most amazing part though, is hearing what inspired Kane. He said he, "randomly came across some photographs of girls in grim council-estate bedrooms, the paper peeling off the walls behind them, their stickers and scrapbooks nearby." With this insight, you can truely see what a creative genius he is and how he is able to pull beauty from places that others cannot.

9. Nina Ricci (Paris): Well, they certainly weren't afraid to go after the lingerie trend for Spring, and I'm sort of loving it. I loved the detailed bra tops with the flouncy skirts. There were also some great florals, a surprisingly chic quilted leather jacket, beautiful floor length gowns, and some amazing structured hats. In other words, perfect attire for a sexy royal wedding.

10. Stella McCartney (Paris): Ahhh Stella, how I love thee. She called her collection a celebration of "energy, freshness, and fitness." How fitting. The clothes oozed of relaxed sexiness. For me, nothing can beat her fall LBD's with the sheer polka-dot insets, but the closing dresses this season came pretty darn close. The white mesh swirled with colorful embroidery looked fabulous on the runway and will definitely be a hit in real life as well. Plus, she showed paisley pajamas. I mean, really, what is more stylish to wear when blogging in bed?

What were some of your favorite shows from London, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks?