From right to left, Giambattista Valli, Alexis Mabille & Valentino

Couture week’s never been short on fantasy, but this season a few designers took an especially playful spin on everyone’s favorite hero—the white knight. Their fairytale fantasies came to life via white evening capes in styles running the gamut from festooning tiers to precisely tailored wool crepe. First seen at Giambattista Valli’s couture debut, our generation’s Italian master re-envisioned the evening suit, pairing his cape with a coordinating sheath and embellishing it with handmade silk petals for a restrained take on princess charming. Moving onto Valentino, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli presented a collection of sheer delicacies, and this meticulous look: a mandarin-collared topper with a keyhole neckline and oblong diamond cutouts. While similar to Valli’s creation in silhouette, their version was inspired by the Edwardian era Romanovs, something evident in the duo’s diminutive embroideries and coronets.  Alexis Mabille rounds out the trend with a cape that’s more Renaissance court jester than early 20th century discretion. His frothy pile of organza tiers was accessorized with yellow lace ups and Pocahontas hair feathers. The look could have fit in at Puss and Boots: The Opera (which can’t be theatrically far from couture anyway). Seems like this year’s influx of (fashion snooze-worthy) royalty has had its valiant effect on Paris— just thank god their ancestors gave us something to be inspired by!