Extravagance Amidst The Crisis: Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week

There's no economic crisis in Paris...


...I mean in Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. With flowing dramatic gowns, furs and tasseled suits, there's certainly no room for economic crisis.

While sales are falling and the luxury executives have cut costs and jobs, lavishness and exclusiveness are still the dynamic force of the fashion shows. And this extravagance comes with reasons:

“Haute Couture is unique. The skills that go into haute couture are disappearing and it's a privilege to buy these clothes," says a former public relations executive who come to see the Paris Haute Couture shows.

"Sometimes I get surprised, you hear there is a crisis but you still see people shopping... When you want something exclusive, you have to go to haute couture. My daughter is getting married and I want a dress specially made for her - and for myself, and sisters and family," shares an obviously wealthy Jordanian Dior client who attended the event.

"If you react to the crisis, you can't produce high fashion," Italian designer Giorgio Armani tells the media after the show. "High fashion is like watching a beautiful film, it belongs to a different world."

We don't want to argue that. Haute Couture shows exist for luxury, exclusiveness, and extravagance (where dresses can easily cost upward of 30,000 euros or $39,430!). If you do not belong the wealthy and the privileged, then that simply means haute couture shows are not made for you.

But is it true that haute couture shows are not affected by economic crisis?

Spectators have observed from the flamboyant Paris Haute Couture shows that there were fewer models than usual.

Come to think of it, luxurious gowns and dresses may not be affected by global downturn but fashion models are slowly feeling the chill.

From the job that the fashion world have bring them up, models may come falling down like this one below: