Dior Says It With Flowers Christian Dior, by Raf Simons, autumn 2012 couture, in Paris. PARIS - Before a single sculpted skirt swayed down the runway, or a blue shoe stepped daintily forward, or a model pursed her scarlet lips under a light veil and shook her long, flat hair, the debut Christian Dior couture collection from Raf Simons said it with flowers. Five grand rooms of a classic Parisian mansion were filled Monday with one million blooms: walls thick with white orchids, yellow mimosa and blue delphiniums - just the colors that would appear on the runway as mid-calf dresses curving at the hips, reinterpretations of the famous shapely "Bar" jacket or rounded, short-and-sweet dresses, cut like a chopped-off ballgown and worn over skinny pants. "I wanted it to be linked to the codes of Christian Dior - but to make it dynamic, modern, energetic," Mr. Simons, 44, said after the winter 2012 couture show to explain his own historic/modern approach. The blooms were a homage to Mr. Dior's "Flower Woman" and passion for gardens. Roses of every hue lined the central room, where Harvey Weinstein sat flanked by the movie stars Jennifer Lawrence from "The Hunger Games" and Mélanie Laurent from "Inglourious Basterds." Full front and center, Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, sat with Princess Charlene of Monaco. Marion Cotillard, Dior's ambassador, was already wearing a dress smothered in flowers. A lot was riding on the show, even the future of Dior's haute couture, which had sagged since the abrupt departure of John Galliano in spring 2011. The result of Monday's presentation was not a triumph, but it was a selection of ideas by a designer who has a rare aptitude: to meld modernity with romance. Mr. Simons made that statement at the start, sending out two black pantsuits - more of an Yves Saint Laurent symbol - and rounding out the tailoring to make it applicable to Dior. If his point of reference was the architectural 1950s coat, that was updated as a swishing scarlet overcoat cinched by a taut belt. Ball gowns that came out in their mini-versions or ballet length were traced with floral embroideries, all the colors faint or shaded. There might be a surface of soft feathers. Or a vivid pink dress that turned to show an open back, revealing stride-out cigarette pants. The designer's skill was, therefore, in deconstruction. But not that take-it-apart idea from the 1990s, but rather the concept of abstracting just one Dior code at a time. With this show done in just three months, Mr. Simons achieved the barely possible: a respectful bow to the heritage of the house, but making the collection seem appropriate for now. The concept of turning a page has run throughout fashion history. There is a famous illustration by Jean Cocteau from 1928 that has Paul Poiret, the creator of fashion elaborations, in retreat as Coco Chanel advanced. No one could describe Donatella Versace as backing off from her position as displaying the most flamboyant expression of hyper-femininity in the couture universe. The Atelier Versace show was colorful in its shades of pink and fresh lime green. And it was intriguing in its print of tarot card patterns. It was also so very Versace in its bold display of bared legs, following the Angelina Jolie exposure in a Donatella dress as seen at this year's Oscars. Then there was the whittled waist, whether it was achieved with a crisscross of patent leather or with plastic molded on ribbons. The "day wear" (starting around the cocktail hour) brought short and full-skirted dresses with ribbed midriffs. That applied also to the tiny wasp waist, caged in, as the designer herself took a bow. Open workboot-like shoes also traced the crisscross design. A relatively quiet red carpet dress, a waft of light and pale chiffon, was picked by Jessica Alba, who was one of a line-up of stars including Milla Jovovich and the "Mad Men" star Christina Hendricks. As Ms. Versace is now working with her daughter Allegra, freshness and youth was added to lightness. But the essence has not changed. Versace is for people who want to show off their clothes, their jewels and their figures. And for many modern women, that concept is démodé. The designer Bouchra Jarrar hit exactly the right spot on Monday, as she understands the fine art of dressing to celebrate womanhood, but for the modern world. The artful simplicity of her clothes was a sweet lesson in a streamlined femininity. The models came out in slim pants with vests, often with a drape at front or especially from the nape down, to soften the clear, clean lines. A lineup of womanly dresses, in blue with white stripes, underlined how women can have day clothes that are shapely without being sexpot. The evening, too, in this impeccable collection was a sliver of simplicity that comes from understanding fabrics and their subtle decoration, like a print of orchid on crêpe de chine. No wonder that the designer is one of those who has been approached for the design job at Schiaparelli. Speaking frankly backstage, Ms. Jarrar said that she had been approached often this past year but that what she would most appreciate was an investment in her brand so she could follow the beat of her own fashion heart.