Haute Couture in Paris: what's new this season?

While the fashion community will be lamenting the absence of Christian Lacroix, who for the first time since 1987 won't be part of the haute couture shows, this season will also see a more positive novelty: the first-ever jewelry presentations during the event.

Up to this point, the world's leading haute couture week had been reserved for dramatic fashion shows by designers including Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy, or Chanel.

For the first time, luxe jewelry brands such as Boucheron, Cartier, Chanel Joaillerie, Chaumet, Christian Dior Joaillerie, Mellerio dits Meller and Van Cleef & Arpels will all present their bejeweled pieces on appointment. "This union of two exceptional [forms of] 'savoir-faire' will create a real luxury week," the Fédération Francaise de la Couture, as the organizing body is called in France, said.

January 28 (the fashion week's next edition takes place January 25-28) has been dedicated exclusively to the jewelers' craft, which makes the event a four-day affair this season.

In addition, brands will present other upcoming new products and innovations to small selections of VIP clients during the fashion week - as Relaxnews could confirm, Versace is using the opportunity for a preview of its luxury mobile phone. ModeLabs, the Paris-based company that was previously responsible for Dior's and TAG Heuer's phone launches, is collaborating with the Italian fashion label for the release. Spokesperson Sarah Garcia told Relaxnews that info and pictures on the phone will become available to a wider public by mid-June at the latest.