Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh Chanel!

PARIS — A several-story-tall golden lion — a modest homage to Chanel founder Coco, a Leo — presided over the luxury giant's over-the-top fall-winter 2011 haute couture display Tuesday, where models in sequin-covered sheath dresses and cropped jackets emerged from inside a giant pearl to trace figure eights between the towering feline's oversized paws.

Cross-town rival Givenchy went in the completely opposite direction, opting against a runway show and presenting designer Riccardo Tisci's Mexican Day of the Dead-inspired collection of featherlight tulle, lace and silk in a museum-like setting.

Givenchy's decision touched off rampant rumors, with fashion insiders speculating that the choice of a presentation was a cost-cutting measure or aimed at protecting potential clients from unwanted publicity. The house insisted it was mainly in order to allow the collection's meticulously workmanship to shine.

Extraordinary craftsmanship — the pillar of the wildly expensive, made-to-measure couture collections — was also on magnificent display at Stephane Rolland's sea soaked collection. In deep blues and studded with rhinestone-encrusted stone shaped appliques, Rolland's liquid silk dresses were technical and design marvels.

Another pitch-perfect collection — of plain-front pant suits in a neutral palette — graced the Armani Prive catwalk. The only flaw, really, was that there was none and that everything was tasteful and nothing was surprising.

Haute couture wraps up with a bang on Wednesday, with shows by Valentino and France's former enfant terrible, Jean Paul Gaultier, whose theatrical high jinx is the stuff of fashion legend.

CHANEL

The French luxury supernova is known for its monumental sets, which recently included a giant bottle of its best-selling No. 5 perfume or a life-size barn with real — and really smelly — hay.

But a gigantic golden lion sculpture?

That was spectacular, even by Chanel's standards.

Uber-designer Karl Lagerfeld explained it was an homage to the house's late founder, who was born in August under the sign of Leo. The beast, the creation of set designers from the Paris opera, snarled overhead as the models emerged in A-line dresses and sheaths fitted with cropped square-shaped jackets with half sleeves.

"Those shapes make you look thin," Lagerfeld told The AP in a post-show interview. "Plus they don't pinch so they're comfortable."