When you have a specialty that you've been pursuing for nearly 30 years, it's only fitting that the results should show the finesse of your experience. Elie Saab, after close to three decades in the business, has pretty much perfected the art of the red carpet dress. It stands as a testament to his popularity that one star will inevitably show up in one of his creations whenever a big event rolls around; for the Oscars, you can guarantee at least three. There's a reason why Saab ranks among the most-requested couturiers. His designs are delicate, intricate, and beautifully crafted, all while being insanely flattering. A lacy purple number, reminiscent of Marchesa, was exquisite in its fairylike daintiness. A neutral floor-sweeper with embroidered rosettes was effortlessly draped, while a blush pastel gown, its fabric heavy with sequins, was fit for a modern-day goddess. But despite yards of material, the dresses were subtly seductive, more so than their shorter, tighter, sheerer counterparts. Silky sashes cinched tiny waists, while thigh-high slits revealed mile-long legs. A glittering black number with a plunging sweetheart neckline sported a slash so high that even walking became a precarious proposition. For those with more demure tastes, Saab provided plenty of frothy neutrals, plus some unfortunate floral-print dresses with Christina Hendricks-esque shoulder poufs for those with overly saccharine tendencies. (For the general safety of your eyes, I did not show them here). The grandma's-garden phase, luckily, was short-lived, and Saab more than redeemed himself with one of his most refined collections to date.