MODELOS: Elie Saab Spring 2010 RTW.

Magdalena Frackowiak (ELITE)

Elie Saab went in a bold new direction for Spring—straight into Balmain territory.

Anna Selezneva (SILENT)

Five looks in, there it was: a black nipped-waist jacket with a modified, slightly less intense take on Christophe Decarnin's tennis-ball shoulder.

Caroline Trentini (IMG)

The latter designer's sexy, take-no-prisoners vibe could also be seen in the zigzagging crystal embroideries of a one-shoulder dress.

Michaela Kocianova (ELITE)

The Balmain effect is so widespread at this point that it might seem mean-spirited to bring it up, but it was a hard-to-ignore departure for the Lebanese designer known as the go-to guy for Hollywood awards shows.

Elena Melnik (SILENT)

Still, Saab didn't leave the celebrity-pleasing dresses completely out of the equation.

Abbey Lee (NEXT)

For Spring, his draped and ruched glamour gowns were shown in pool blue and cherry red.

Isabeli Fontana (SILENT)

The collection's most pleasant surprises were a narrow sheath and a column gown in a digital print that combined those colors with yellow and black. They were striking, and felt more original.