Paris Fashion Week Fall 2012: Our 10 Favorite Collections

Guillaume Henry threw his now-signature '60s aesthetic for a loop this season by weaving in religious inspiration. Trenches and dresses were cut from tapestry fabrics, while other patterns evoked stained glass church windows or borrowed from the Bosch painting "The Garden of Earthly Delights."

This Parisian designer's legions of fangirls will be waiting in line for this season's yoked frontier shirts, skinny jeans and abbreviated cowboy boots. And luckily, they'll soon have lots of boutiques at which to do so. Giddyap!

For fall, Van Noten mixed the boxy menswear looks for which he's known with colorful Asian art-inspired graphics. Rich kimono prints were screened onto belted coats, straight sheaths and silky pants. And several wrap-front midi dresses even resembled the Japanese robes themselves.

Karl Lagerfeld's crystal method for fall? Take a moody color palette inspired by black, gray and purple stones and add a few of the organic-looking gems themselves (at the hemline, browbone or somewhere in between). This was a show that truly sparkled.

Opening Ceremony's Carol Lim and Humberto Leon have put a magical spin on Kenzo. In between the graphic tiger pullovers, rich-looking tweed outerwear, dazzling prints and eccentric walnut jewelry (courtesy of Delfina Delettrez), this was one of the week's strongest shows for sure.

Stella's beautiful use of tapestry-inspired swirls, hourglass silhouettes and sporty shapes made this a collection to remember. Considering the designer's flair for sporty touches, she's sure to do a stellar job on the British athletes' uniforms for the 2012 Olympics.

Alber Elbaz celebrated his tenth year at Lanvin's helm with a beautifully upbeat collection. There were peplums and ruffles galore, but the body-conscious, super-sleek shapes of the cocktail frocks themselves kept the looks from seeming too fussy. The painterly prints, baroque patterns and colorful furs that closed the show were a particular highlight.

Leather was the story at Givenchy, where Riccardo Tisci's equestrian influence manifested itself in riding jackets, jodhpur pants and scarves neatly tied at the neck—all paired with some sort of leather garment or trim. For night, there were spaghetti-strap slipdresses tightly belted at the waist and covered in lace and crystals. We can't wait to see these on Rooney Mara.

Clare Waight Keller's outerwear was incredibly strong this season (her second at the label). We especially loved the duffel coats in peach and powder blue, which almost made us long for plunging temperatures. The lace separates appliquéd with delicate flowers were beautiful, too.

Did someone say "graphic sweatshirt?" Nicolas Ghesquière's take on the somewhat nerdy adolescent staple was all kinds of cool. Meanwhile, leopard spots and tiger stripes were slicked with a space-age metallic finish, and bold-shouldered coats and jackets looked similarly futuristic.