Collections —Woman / Prêt-à-Porter

“I feel a need for naturalness, for a profound and spontaneous approach… As if I were searching for the truth that gives rise to dreams, the substance that fosters the imagination… And so straw remains straw, though in a form soft and supple. Organza features the utmost in lightness, a whisper in cloud and sky prints. At the same time all is open to a broad, ever varying interpretation responding to many types of women. For the same reason I have let each model in the show wear the clothes that best reflect her true essence. And I have chosen a more intimate setting, to express simpler tastes, a directer contact…”

Gianfranco Ferré

A focus on function. A full mannish jacket. A snug close-to-the-skin jacket, almost a dress or femininely draped maillot. A bright jacket casually draped sarong style on a hip. But also a bustier-jacket with its own sarong, a “diving suit” jacket with a reinforced plastic zip, and an anatomically-cut jacket with sparkling sequins in front. All in fabrics accenting the intrinsic characteristics of the garment: lightweight crepe, naturally elastic silk crepe, gabardine, canvas.

The sense of proportions. With a long long jacket no need for a skirt. A sleek ankle-length instead for the clean collarless halter-dress open on one side. A lively step with flats, a smooth sinuous one with heels.

The taste for color. In the sky, on the sand. Amidst woods, shells and flowers, straw and bamboo. Near, in and at the depths of the sea. Amidst the crushed shells along the shore, white and black, translucent. Mother-of-pearl for the ultralight python shirt on an organza base. Mother-of-pearl for the front of the light jacket. Mother-of-pearl and shell chips for the swimsuit pure and strong of line and high cut on hips. Pearl and silver reflections for the glamorous lamé maillot.

A feel for evening. In a true ready-to-wear collection all it takes is a print, a shawl or a flowing fringe to create the smooth feel of evening. With the gauzy organza skirts, real or fake men’s pullovers embroidered on elastic fabrics. With the gold-coral skirt, a white raw-silk caban. With the blue pants, a gold-and-mother-of-pearl embroidered bomber à la romantic cadette. Extreme surrealist touches reminiscent of Elsa Schiaparelli and Oppenheim, for the fish-embroidered hanky in the pocket of the white jacket. For the fuchsia and lemon yellow sleeves against a hot pink background. And for the all-black sleeve on the sea-anemone-brocade jacket.