PARIS, Jan 26, 2006/ FW/ --- To those unfamiliar to haute couture, it is hard to understand why someone has to pay exorbitant prices for a dress, yet to those who understands the subtlety of the craft, a dress or a gown is worth the price, especially if Dominique Sirop created it as exemplified in his Spring 2006 collection.

Presenting elegant daywear and eveningwear at the Hotel Westin here in Paris, Dominique Sirop highlighted the waist and shoulders with his strapless gowns and dresses plus the bustiers that were paired with relaxed fitting pants.

The silhouette is slim, with volume and texture added through clever use of ruching, biased cut hemlines and oversized ruffles used to create boleros and shawls.

The tailoring was impeccable, the cut was fantastic, yet the most skillful display of craftsmanship was hidden the way it should be and not even be noticed at all! And that is the genius of this collection that truly proved once more that Dominique Sirop is an accomplished couturier.

Haute couture is more than creating garments that are made-to-measure. It is also about highlighting the woman’s figure and enhancing assets without being overt. And that is what Dominique Sirop did very successfully; hiding from prying eyes the ‘lift’ of the bustline while making the waist narrower.

It was there in plain sight, but unless one knows the secret, one will not even notice. One very guarded secrets in all ateliers is the construction of the ‘hidden bra.’ It is supposed to ‘lift’ a woman’s assets without being obvious. It is there, but no one is supposed to notice, including the wearer!

And with Dominique Sirop’s strapless and one-shouldered gowns and dresses, it was evident from the first exit that the artisans did their jobs more than fairly well. So, who needs plastic surgery when haute couture is around?

Now, that it’s been said, back to the collection…

It was hard to choose a standout piece because everything was just beautiful. But, if one has to choose, the finale, a strapless wedding gown with an extra long ruffled shawl is just to die for.

Dominique Sirop

Dominique Sirop

Dominique Sirop

Dominique Sirop