Ulyana Sergeenko Fall 2012 Couture

When I arrived at the Théâtre Marigny in Paris yesterday afternoon for the Ulyana Sergeenko Fall 2012 Couture show, I thought it was an outside presentation.

That’s because many of the beautiful women waiting outside to see the show were wearing pieces from the designer’s collection which included her signature voluminous printed maxi skirts worn over a knit sweater and signature head scarves or wool hats.

For her first runway show during Paris Fashion Week, the Russian designer/street-style star certainly pulled in a crowd of major industry players like Grace Coddington, Carine Roitfeld, Tim Blanks, Anna Dello Russo and Patrick Demarchelier.

With a line-up of top models, the show started with a military-style coat before moving onto the designer’s signature look I mentioned above.

Apron dresses, oversized coats, capes, fur-lined parkas, boyish jodhpurs, a chic white suit, folk jackets, sweaters paired with fitted pants, an uber-cute floral embroidered mini dress styled with red-hot knee-boots and long-sleeve playsuits – one with a military sash – added a playfulness to this collection with plenty of Russian references.

The Russianness came through via the accessories, which included military hats, lace helmet, medals of honour, military boots, babushkas and big furry hats.

Other accessories included back packs, hand-carved wooden heels, embroidered headbands and epaulettes, lace-covered flasks, shakos, clutches and gloves.

We saw a few evening looks. The bright red satin gown was the standout piece, but the pretty black lace dress was my favourite.

Natalia Vodianova, the Russian supermodel and a Ulyana Sergeenko client, fittingly closed the show in a floor-sweeping black coat styled with a floral embroidered tulle veil.

It will be interesting to see if the exposure of Paris Fashion Week will push Ulyana’s signature style into the mainstream. Is Hollywood ready for a collection which mixes military, fantasy and femininity?

Who I See Wearing This Collection: Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard, Natalia Vodianova and several Russian socialites.

Credit: Getty & Back pack images belong to Red Carpet Fashion Awards