Eee, rainbow! / via Harper’s Bazaar

If haute couture is about class, artistry and elegance, then the stars who lined the front row in Paris and their fashion choices were a perfect reflection of this.

Leading ladies such as Cameron Diaz and Jessica Chastain opted for classic minimalism as they watched handiwork from the likes of Karl Lagerfeld and Giorgio Armani parade down the catwalk at Chanel and Armani respectively. 

Diaz paired a sleek off-white dress from Chanel’s Cruise Antibes collection with a clutch and coat, while Chastain wore a minimal black shift that was far from dull, thanks to fluoro orange accents and a luminous smile sparked by hearing her Oscar nomination.

Taking easy Parisian elegance to another level were Vanessa Paradis and Alice Dellal at Chanel. Paradis’ jacket from Chanel’s ready-to-wear spring/summer ’11 collection was worn over a silk maxi for a luxe bohemian look, while Dellal paired a delicate lace Chanel haute couture top with punk accessories and a vintage skirt.

Heralding a return to old-school Parisian glamour was Russian stylist and designer Ulyana Sergeenko at Giambattista Valli, who piled curls on top of her head for a sleek yet sensuous hairstyle. Paired with the ultra-classy, demure and ladylike floral dress she was wearing, it seemed to hark back to an era when fashion was the sumptuous, lavish domain of the Parisian bourgeoisie.

See more images from Paris haute couture at vogue.com.au

Ulyana Sergeenko at Giambattista Valli Haute Couture S/S 2012/13 / vogue.com.au

‘I think couture should yield an experience that’s unavailable anywhere else. The means may be fabrics that are custom-made or specially dyed; Dior has done some collections that are memorable for their gorgeous colors. This season at Dior, Bill Gaytten, who is the acting creative director, skipped the abstract shapes and clown hats he tried last July and focused on airy dresses and coats in fresh-looking silk organza that was delicately embroidered with roses — more like an etching.

Afterward, I heard some editors say, in effect, “What woman today would wear those clothes?” Well, by that standard, we’d all be dressing like the Kardashians. ’

Cathy Horyn - the true fashion journalist, who draws on both historical and contemporary contexts to truly evaluate and critique, for goodness’ sake, the industry. This is a woman who loves what she does, and this is what fashion journalism should be. Read her take on couture at the New York Times.  Fabulous reading.

Karlie Kloss, Bette Franke, Nimue Smit, Olga Sherer & Maria Kashleva X Christian Dior haute couture spring/summer 2012/13 / vogue.com.au, New York Times

Elie Saab Fall 2011 Couture / Style.com