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couture lives!
July 6, 2012

Slideshow: The Best and Worst of Fall 2012 Couture

By Charlotte Cowles and Sally Holmes

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Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Imaxtree

This season’s highly eventful couture week officially ended on Wednesday, which means we’ve had sufficient time to recover from all those cape dresses and antennae and flowers and can now tackle the serious stuff. Like, which outfit will most likely be worn by Jennifer Lopez? Which designer made the best Narnia reference? Did Frank Sorbier really expect a model to type on that laptop in his show? See our slideshow for a comprehensive look back on some of fall 2012’s most remarkable couture looks.

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1 / 29 Photos
Most Impractical Laptop: Frank Sorbier How is she possibly going to update her Facebook status with those nails? Photo: Alessandro Lucioni... Most Impractical Laptop: Frank Sorbier How is she possibly going to update her Facebook status with those nails? Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Convincing Argument for a Black Swan Sequel: Chanel Bird meets tutu: the redux. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Groom-Repellent Bridal Headwear: Basil Soda How's she going to kiss anyone with her face all wrapped in tinsel strands? Photo: MATTEO... Most Groom-Repellent Bridal Headwear: Basil Soda How's she going to kiss anyone with her face all wrapped in tinsel strands? Photo: MATTEO VOLTA
Most Regal Clown: Alexis Mabille Bride of Bubbles. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Best Use of Pointillism: Dior Raf Simons, meet Georges Seurat, minus the parasols. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Comfortable Footwear: Givenchy Wearing heels with one's living room rug would be overkill.
Best Narnia Reference: On Aura Tout Vu And you thought John Galliano had the antler thing covered. Photo: MATTEO VOLTA
Most Likely to Attract Bees: Giambattista Valli That is, if all the bees weren't having enough of a field day with the walls at Dior. Phot... Most Likely to Attract Bees: Giambattista Valli That is, if all the bees weren't having enough of a field day with the walls at Dior. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Likely to Be Used as a Cat Toy: Chanel Choupette will be having her way with this garment, if she hasn't already. Photo: Alessandro Lucion... Most Likely to Be Used as a Cat Toy: Chanel Choupette will be having her way with this garment, if she hasn't already. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Confusing Materials: Maison Martin Margiela We wanted that to be a bird head on the shirt so badly, but we just can't be sure. Photo: Ales... Most Confusing Materials: Maison Martin Margiela We wanted that to be a bird head on the shirt so badly, but we just can't be sure. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Likely to Be Worn by Jenna Lyons: Christophe Josse Well, maybe not, since she's basically worn this exact outfit already. Photo: MATT... Most Likely to Be Worn by Jenna Lyons: Christophe Josse Well, maybe not, since she's basically worn this exact outfit already. Photo: MATTEO VOLTA
Most Deceivingly Complicated: Dior Yes, we know, all these dresses were heart-rendingly beautiful and cost hundreds of hours of backbreaking labo... Most Deceivingly Complicated: Dior Yes, we know, all these dresses were heart-rendingly beautiful and cost hundreds of hours of backbreaking labor. But isn't it a true mark of skill to make something so difficult look so simple? Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Devastating Altercation With a Paper-Shredder: Versace If you look closely, you'll see that those lapels are actually made of Donatella's ol... Most Devastating Altercation With a Paper-Shredder: Versace If you look closely, you'll see that those lapels are actually made of Donatella's old credit card statements.
Trickiest for Visiting the Bathroom: Iris van Herpen You couldn't even fit in the stall. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Second Trickiest for Visiting the Bathroom: Jean Paul Gaultier But seriously, isn't this one of Madonna's tour costumes? Photo: Alessandro... Second Trickiest for Visiting the Bathroom: Jean Paul Gaultier But seriously, isn't this one of Madonna's tour costumes? Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Likely to Be Worn by Jennifer Lopez: Zuhair Murad If she hasn't worn this already.
Least Gratuitous Nipple: Jean Paul Gaultier Andrej, pretty as ever. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Party-Ready: Yiqing Yin You know someone's partied too much when she's wearing a headress/bodysuit and heels made from recycled streamers. ... Most Party-Ready: Yiqing Yin You know someone's partied too much when she's wearing a headress/bodysuit and heels made from recycled streamers. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Tree-Like: Giambattista Valli If Ophelia had decided to walk away from that river, this is exactly what she'd look like. Photo: Aless... Most Tree-Like: Giambattista Valli If Ophelia had decided to walk away from that river, this is exactly what she'd look like. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Hands-Free: Iris van Herpen Perfect for balancing a lunch tray; not so perfect for answering your phone, getting into a cab, tying your shoe... Most Hands-Free: Iris van Herpen Perfect for balancing a lunch tray; not so perfect for answering your phone, getting into a cab, tying your shoes, or really anything else. Photo: MATTEO VOLTA
Most Topsy-Turvy: Dior Party up top, business down below. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Defensive: Julien Fournie Just like in tropical reef ecosystems, it's best to scare off adversaries, or other models, with brightly colored,... Most Defensive: Julien Fournie Just like in tropical reef ecosystems, it's best to scare off adversaries, or other models, with brightly colored, protruding fins. Photo: MATTEO VOLTA
Most Likely to Be Worn by Alec Baldwin's New Wife: Georges Chakra This hat is a few feathers shy of full towel camouflage. Photo: Alessandro L... Most Likely to Be Worn by Alec Baldwin's New Wife: Georges Chakra This hat is a few feathers shy of full towel camouflage. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Likely to Be Worn by Michelle Harper: Alexandre Vauthier "More naked, more naked!" Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Luc... Most Likely to Be Worn by Michelle Harper: Alexandre Vauthier "More naked, more naked!" Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Convenient for Disguising Pregnancy: Didithe Hediprasetyo Gisele, take note. Photo: COURTESY OF PRESS OFFICE/COURTESY OF PRESS OFFICE
Least Necessary to Wear Spanx With: Georges Chakra That metal corset ought to tamp down excess pudge much more effectively than Spandex.&nbs... Least Necessary to Wear Spanx With: Georges Chakra That metal corset ought to tamp down excess pudge much more effectively than Spandex.  Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Potentially Disastrous: Jean Paul Gaultier You're really playing with fire by raising your arms in this outfit. Photo: Alessandro Luc... Most Potentially Disastrous: Jean Paul Gaultier You're really playing with fire by raising your arms in this outfit. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
Most Likely to Be Worn by Nicki Minaj: On Aura Tout Vu Headdress and all. Photo: MATTEO VOLTA
Most Likely to Be Worn by Katy Perry: Frank Sorbier Low-hanging fruit, that is. Photo: Alessandro Lucioni/Alessandro Lucioni
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