It’s more than just clothes.

I’ve spent all my life defending fashion to people who call it frivolous or superficial. Sure, there are aspects of the fashion industry that need to be improved, such as the extensive use of fur, but writing it off as silly or irrelevant is unjustified.

While most of the time there really is no point trying to convince fashion-haters that my interest in the fashion industry actually involves more than going shopping, I like to bring up haute couture in an attempt to make people understand a dress can be just as much a piece of art as a painting or a sculpture.

Haute Couture fashion is not made for the masses. Each piece is unique, often involving hundreds of hours of work to be handcrafted, and can therefore only be bought by one – very wealthy – person, which is why haute couture fashion week is more like an art exhibition than a fashion event.

It becomes very clear just how much thought and effort goes into haute couture fashion when looking at these nine absolutely stunning outfits from this season’s haute couture fashion week, that will take your breath away and make you re-think your opinion on fashion…

1. This Dolce & Gabbana nod to Italian baroque.

2. This hypnotic Iris Van Herpen dress.

3. This purple Giambattista Valli dream.

4. This incredible Chanel embroidery.

5. This laser-cut Giles Deacon gown.

6. This red explosion at Maison Valentino.

7. This stunning detailing at Elie Saab.

8. This ethereal draping at Atelier Versace.

9. This candy hued creation of Viktor and Rolf.

Images via instagram.com.