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133

Collections —Woman / Accessories

Fall / Winter — 1999

Press Release

Prêt-à-porter Collection

“A vision of the future never contradicting the human rationale of things, a concept of technology connecting with the force of sensuality, reflecting the sense of glamour that gives fashion a true vibrancy… Imagination and austerity merging in a balance of opposites: utility and poetry, solidity and lightness, simplification and accent, purity and artifice, need and game. Moving beyond all triteness and techno obsession, I capture primitive images with spontaneous flair, blend animals real and make-believe, symbols and ideas with alchemies both subtle and radical. Shadows and impressions become one, come and go almost on the spot… like the flash of a tawny mane standing out against a boreal sky. There’s an elementary sense of strength, a keen elegant feline energy. As if a wild beast suddenly turned docile, were held on a belt-leash…”

Gianfranco Ferré

In a crossover between emotion and logic what comes forth is an Alphabet of assonances, contrasts, surprises. Extraordinary cashmere Bustiers with lining in leather and vague aura of fetishism pair up with wraparound skirts or jogging pants peeking out from under a floor-length Coat. In an expression of utter refinement the Duvet, so light and warm, opts for a most unusual fabric: chiffon. Meantime an Elementary second-skin jacket opens up in two thanks to a zip letting hands thrust deep down in pockets. Wonderfully Fantastic mutations arise from a sometimes rumpled but ever superlight jersey with inserts in breitschwanz, hand-painted pony, a magical play of wool yarns on organza. Thus the Glove keys into a techno sensuality linking up directly with the stretch bouclé shirt or the quasi-polar quilted coat. Optical Illusions – with very real solutions – work a disappearing act on the heel of shoes. Which maintain a sense of height, however, since a Little tongue emerging from the sole gives stability to the elastic fiber plantar. Instead, the upper part bonds with the dress to become a leather-reinforced triple filanca stocking. Supreme accent of the season, Mink shows up in glossy black or make-a-statement turquoise and violet. Whereas the fox lining on collars is black and bordeaux. Soft fox fur also offers a new twist with sprays of Nylon creating an indefinable fringe. As if under a modern-day spell, dreamy and Obsessive, the natural evolves into the artificial: dégradé silk chenille/cotton has the hypnotic movement of a serpent. Jais scales and beads quiver – black on black, shiny on matte – like a hedgehog or porcupine in the night. Palm-warmers in lynx emerge forcefully on the coat and on the hand-woven tweed dress for a delicate partridge-woman effect. In this magical winter tale evening kilts alternating dark spots of pitch with streaks of tartan plaid have an extra fullness that gets offset by slim bustiers in Raw-edge leather. In general, materials reveal a special Suppleness: lining fabrics assume a role on the outside, masterly cuts enhance the already strong sense of ease. Jeans go Techno with thermowelded nylon biker patches, or in silk velvet with insert in breitschwanz or flannel seemingly poured down the pants. Unexpectedly, the shirt takes on a playful cloud shape through the use of whalebones in nylon. And Various ways of being form a fine unicum in the mannish dark blue cashmere overcoat with fur lining. The atmosphere is powerfully otherworld, intense and pure, like in the paintings of John Wilhelm Waterhaus (Magical Circle, in particular). Possibly popolar even, so to beat the prospective bitter cold the sleeve has a Zip that lets it become one with the glove. And the thermal scarf comes right on the dress for extra protection, sumptuously enveloping like a stole.