Fashion is basking in the afterglow of some breakthrough haute couture shows. And it's true, haute couture, once viewed as fusty and conservative (BRIGITTE BARDOT famously having declared the practice "for grannies"), seems to have moved more deftly with the times this season. One could argue it's the best response to cultural headwinds moving about the apparel industry: customers' desire for transparency, accountability, and trust. At VALENTINO, each dress was named for the person who made it. Is this “radical transparency” without the marketing phrase? Haute couture has the benefit of keeping arms' length from economies of scale that, in some cases, subsidize its existence. Yet it can also be viewed as a leading indicator of what fashion can be without compromise. By honoring amazing feats of the hand in textile, ornament, and thread, haute couture highlights the fundamental underpinnings of fashion—and all clothing for that matter. The question remains as to whether the values respected in haute couture—time, craft, and artistry—can be meaningfully valued in the rest of the industry. Will it hold sway over ready-to-wear? Let's hope the positive momentum from haute couture keeps going. There's an entire fashion month ahead… NIKE used computational design for its latest sneaker sole, the REACT. WIRED UK points out that computational design has undergone research by CARNEGIE MELLON since the 1960s, and that Nike released a t-shirt using computational design last year. Would love more detail on this. Perhaps there's more design parity between haute couture and sneakers than we imagine... Briefs: RANDE GERBER was a model too... LVMH posts gains... VALENTINO's "IRIS" dress.