All images from Vogue.com

Backstage at Valentino, via CR Fashion Book

Now that the shows are over, let's talk big picture

The finale at Chanel Fall 2017 via Vogue

The Fall 2017 shows ended with a trip to the stars

Christopher Kane via Vogue

Hot fashion from across the pond

Sitting pretty at Marc Jacobs via Vogue

Last thoughts on New York Fashion Week

Altuzarra Fall 2017 via Vogue

More thoughts on the New York collections

Jason Wu Fall 2017 via Vogue

It's time for everyone's favorite week!

Elie Saab Spring 2017 Couture via Vogue

classic couture is back in a big way

Backstage at Dior via CR Fashion Book

Plenty of romance and ball gowns galore

Valentino Pre-Fall 2017 via @maisonvalentino

So many good looks!

Pre-fall is perhaps the most curious of seasons. Technically, it refers to summer (right? pre-fall is the season preceding fall?) but many fashion designers use it as a time to introduce the motifs of their fall collections, and many pre-fall lookbooks are filled with coats, furs, and other cold-weather necessities. It is often less whimsical than resort, it's pre-season counterpart, focused on practical, consumer-friendly pieces that can transition from one season to another. The release of pre-fall collections also seems to drag on forever, as some designers presented their lookbooks weeks before Christmas, while others, like Christian Dior and Valentino, just held their pre-fall presentations this past week, mere weeks ahead of the spring couture shows.

Photo via Chanel

Chanel heads home for it's annual Métiers D'Art collection

Rome. Mumbai. Dallas. Over the years, Karl Lagerfeld has taken the annual Chanel Métiers D'Art collection (the brand's version of Pre-Fall) all around the world, celebrating the fashions of cultures near and far while also displaying the fine craftsmanship of Chanel's artisan partners. But this year, Chanel stayed close to home, with guests travelling to the newly-renovated Ritz Paris for lunch and a runway show (and a party the night before, of course).

The finale at Miu Miu by Kevin Tachman for Vogue

Another Fashion Month in the books

Don't forget to read Part I here! The fashion crowd has left Paris. The endless Instagrams of the Eiffel Tower and the Jardin de Tuileries have come to an end. The world's top fashion designers have presented their Spring 2017 collections and are now prepping for the next season of fashion. It's a quick-moving world, but before we move on, let's take a look at the best stories, trends, and shows from these last few days of Fashion Month.

Rihanna and the Fenty x Puma crew via Driely S. for Vogue

All the latest from the Paris shows

We've made it to the end of Fashion Month! Paris is always the exciting finale, and though we're only halfway through, there have already been some amazing debuts and standout collections.

Models backstage at Marques ' Almeida by Driely S. for Vogue

Top trends from London and Milan

Fall may have just started yesterday, but we're already looking forward to spring in the fashion world. London Fashion Week has come and gone (so has NYFW, if you missed that recap) and we're in the midst of Milan Fashion Week. There's some great stuff coming from across the pond, so here's the rundown on the top trends and collections from the past week:

A beautifully photoshopped picture of me walking the Tibi runway

Give me all the clothes

New York Fashion Week always leaves me with some raging envy, both for the people who get to go to see the shows and for the clothes themselves. Yes, some of the clothes are available to purchase right away thanks to see-now-buy-now collections and preorder sites like Moda Operandi, but even then, I'm an unemployed twenty-two-year-old with very limited funds. I wish I could buy all the Proenza Schouler and Rodarte in the world, but alas, unless you Mulleavy sisters are reading this and want to gift me some fairy princess garments, I'll be admiring these clothes from afar. Life is so unfair.

3.1 Phillip Lim via Vogue

All the stories, trends, and news from NYFW

Another New York Fashion Week has come and gone, my friends, and boy, is there a lot to discuss! Most designers were showcasing their Spring 2017 collections, but a few bold brands adopted the see-now, buy-now method and showed clothes that were available for purchase immediately. Some celebrity lines soared (Gigi x Tommy Hilfiger) while others crashed and burned (*cough*Yeezy), and as always there was plenty of controversy over collections, but all in all there were some truly stunning collections (Altuzarra, Delpozo, and Proenza Schouler were the big standouts for me) and plenty of fashion to get me excited for 2017.

The atelier on full view at Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2016 via Vogue Runway

A salute to the true heros of couture.

If the whispers are true that Karl Lagerfeld is on the final stretch of his illustrious tenure as Chanel's creative director, then it would make sense for him to be feeling sentimental. He's always been one to honor the legacy of Chanel while imbuing his own touch to his collections, combining past and present (and sometimes even future!) for a truly remarkable end result. Two months ago it was Cuba's history and exciting future prospects that captured Lagerfeld's imagination; for spring couture it was Japanese gardens. But this season Lagerfeld was looking inward, to the legacy of the house of Chanel itself and the women who make it all possible.

Haute couture is first and foremost a celebration of exquisite craftsmanship. In a world of 3D printing and machinery, couture is more important than ever, reminding us that no matter how much technology advances and ameliorates the production of clothing, it will never be able to compete with the precision and care of the hand. And that was the overarching theme of the Chanel show: les petits mains—literally "the little hands"—aka the seamstresses at the atelier. These are the women who work tirelessly to create the gorgeous couture creations, spending hundreds of hours hand-sewing beads and fabrics for a single garment. Their dedication to detail is remarkable, their talent endless, and yet they rarely get the recognition they deserve. True, Lagerfeld may be the one who thinks up the designs and themes of each collection, but without les petites mains, the couture clothes would never come to be.

The atelier on display via Vogue Runway

So Lagerfeld brought his team front and center, turning the Grand Palais into a working atelier, with the seamstresses cutting, draping, and fitting while models passed through in the finished creations. Couture is about the process as much as the result, so it's fun to see the women in their natural habitat, working through the many stages of the creation of these wearable works of art. At the end, Lagerfeld took his bow alongside his head seamstresses, reminding the world that even the most lauded of artists do not work solo.

Finale looks via Vogue Runway

Lagerfeld's ladies via Vogue Runway

As for the clothes? Classic Lagerfeld-era Chanel. Exaggerated shoulders and structural shapes were the style du jour, all beaded and sequined. Each look celebrated the talents of the atelier, plain and simple, and the clothes were timeless and stunning. I love Lagerfeld's themed collections as much as the next girl, but sometimes the celebration of legacy and craftsmanship is all you need. Here's to Chanel, to Lagerfeld, and most importantly, the atelier workers who make Chanel Haute Couture what it is.

See the Standout Looks from the Collection:

See the rest of the collection here.

Shop Chanel:

Which look was your favorite from the Chanel Fall 2016 couture show?

Chic accessories at Gucci Resort 2017 via Elle

Punk rock meets tea time chic at Westminster Abbey.

London may not scream "resort destination" but the fashion in-crowd begs to differ. Not one, but two fashion houses—Dior and Gucci—showed their resort 2017 collections in the land of the Queen. I'm sure you saw the festivities unfold on Instagram and Snapchat, as resort presentations for the big fashion houses are now just an excuse for fashionistas to go on vacations around the world and be entertained with glamorous train rides, samba lessons, and convertible cruises through Cuba. Ah, it must be a fun life. But let's not let the cool activities detract from the main event: the clothes.

As you know, Gucci is the shit right now. Seriously, Alessandro Michele is killing the game and you'd have to be living under a rock not to know that. In a world of Yeezy athleisure and minimalism, Michele has revived the beauty of maximalism, drama, and artful dressing. In his eyes, there's no such thing as too many prints or patterns. Wear all your jewelry at once, he begs! Rock a sweater with a cat on it! Go on, pair those clunky shoes with doily ankle socks and yeah, while you're at it, wear those lace gloves your great-grandmother left for you. Wear it all! Nothing is too kooky, too extravagant, and the best part is, Gucci makes everything (which should look utterly insane) look cool.

The finale walk at Gucci Resort 2017 via Harper's Bazaar

For Resort 2017, the Gucci gang took inspiration from its locale and combined the iconic historical styles of England with the standard Gucci quirkiness. Union Jacks and tartans were paired with Grey Gardens headscarves and ladylike purses; medieval tapestries with girly ruffles and bold colors. Gucci has become all about the delicate balance of opposites, showing that when done correctly, you can mix even the most unusual styles together.

Many of these clothes will stun outside of Fashion Week shows and beyond. The show was packed with the most stylish members of the It-crowd, from fashion darling Elle Fanning to rapper ASAP Rocky, who are sure to rock these looks in the coming months.

For those of us who can't dress ourselves in head-to-toe Gucci (a damn shame, really) there are plenty of statement accessories to choose from, from customizeable Dionysus bags to crazy shoes and decadent jewelry. In the end, Gucci is about a state of mind as much as it is a label, so embrace your inner vintage punk and get to print mixing!

See my favorite looks from the collection:

Get the Gucci Look:

What did you think of the Gucci resort collection?

Chanel Cruise 2017 Lookbook

I was contemplating doing a write-up on the Met Gala, but honestly, I was a little disappointed with the lack of accordance to the theme (newsflash: silver sequins does not equal technology). Aside from Claire Danes' dazzling Zac Posen dress, I wasn't really feeling the #looks. And don't even get me started on the Louis Vuitton Squad!

But fear not, because the fashion crowd never sleeps, and another huge event has given me something to talk about! Karl Lagerfeld always takes his cruise collections to a far-off locale, and for the 2017 collection it was off to Cuba, which, as you hopefully know, only recently became accessible to Americans for the first time since the 60s. The country is ripe with incredible culture, and it's about time everyone gets to celebrate.

And what a celebration it was! Never one to do something half way, Lagerfeld had guests chauffeured to Havana's Paseo de Prado in candy-colored convertibles and staged a plein air parade through the streets, with a Cuban band leading the finale procession.

Just look at how fun the show was:

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