Haute Couture in Paris: the good, the bad, and the gossip

Givenchy didn't quite live up to expectations, models' hair at Chanel seemed to be inspired by Lady Gaga, and Gucci is stealing the French designers' thunder with rumors it might be launching its own haute couture line.

If rumors placed by a WWD source prove true, Gucci's head designer Frida Giannini could give rival Italian brands Valentino and Giorgio Armani Privé a run for their money, while adding to the under-represented female creative pool among haute couture designers.

However, the haute couture schedule, set up by the French Federation of Couture, is the equivalent of Fort Knox in fashion, and does not accept new entries very easily. Insiders are assuming that Gucci wouldn't show as part of the Paris schedule (which currently only hosts 11 officially approved designers), but on an appointment-only basis.

While the fashion crowd is getting excited about these potential novelties, Karl Lagerfeld sent down an accomplished ice-cream-colored collection of cocktail dresses for Chanel with models sporting hairstyles fit for a Lady Gaga red carpet appearance - could the flamboyant star follow in Lily Allen's footsteps as a face for the brand?

Speaking of the red carpet, Giorgio Armani Privé's classically elegant, moon-themed dresses seemed to be meant just for that very occasion, with Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway sitting front row, potentially shopping for her next round of movie premieres.

Kylie Minogue drew attention in Dior's front row, but 13-year-old blogger Tavi was all people talked about at Chanel, and not just because her giant bow hat by Stephen Jones blocked the view of fashion editors (complaining via Twitter), but also because she bagged another high-profile writing gig, this time for Pop magazine.

The blogger phenomenon is still going strong (watch IHT's Suzy Menkes' comment on them here), and most of them were disappointed with Riccardo Tisci's seemingly direction-lacking line for Givenchy, which was a wild array of 1980s sequin chic, purple ruffles, and plateau-ed flip flops, especially after his last collection, inspired by Arabic countries, proved a favorite.

On January 28, 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, for the first time an official part of haute couture week.