WFW 2011 Singapore: Stephane Rolland

Question: What do you do when you come face to face with the works of a Grand Couturier that is Stephane Rolland?

a. You gawk
b. You gasp in awe
c. You cheer and applaud loudly
d. You are moved to tears
e. All of the above

Answer: All of the above.

Okay, so maybe I didn't cry, but I'm certain someone in the audience did, because Stephane Rolland's collection was so beautiful from the moment it started till it ended.

For his Haute Couture presentation, Stephane Rolland depicted a strong yet feminine woman with the use of bold lines and structure. Each dress had an amazing architecture, from strong shoulders to high collars and ornate origami folds made out of leather and organza seen on the waists, neckline and plastered on the back of several dresses.

Rolland's attention to details was modern and exciting as he took lacquered chopsticks and brushed steel and turned them into pieces of art.

Then there were the dresses that looked like they were dipped in ink; they were simply gorgeous.

Asian influences were subtle but present in his collection, in the form of kimono-like sleeves and origami folds.

For me, what stood out the most was the portrayal of a modern heroine. The black dresses with its high slits, and body-conscious fit, reminiscent of a superhero costume for the modern woman. Then there were the finger-only black leather gloves which would have served well as hand-gear used in fights against villains. The massive capes which came with the billowy gowns helped to tie the story of this strong and powerful female together even further.

I can only imagine why every single woman in the crowd would want to wear Stephane Rolland's dresses - the amazing fit and the way he evoked such a strong and confident woman. And yes, I told Fir how amazing it would be if I could own every single dress in this collection.

We spotted Shah from Pop Culture at the event.

Here's a rare picture of Fir and myself. Fir was looking va-va voom in a black corset maxi dress that night! On me, an alphabet-printed chiffon maxi dress with lace up wedges.







































♥,
Fal

WFW 2011 Singapore: Dominique Sirop

Autumn had descended upon the runway of Singapore's first and inaugural Women's Fashion Week. Day 4 of WFW had 3 designers showing their works - Dominique Sirop, Alexis Mabille and Anne Valerie Hash. The leaves on the line of trees along the runway had turned amber and red, a day before, they were a deep green (since it was summer).

I was just in time for my first show at WFW which was presented by Dominique Sirop, and I had heightened expectations for my virgin 'live' Haute Couture presentation. Dominique Sirop's collection however, turned out to be a bit of a let down. The show opened with a body-hugging khaki gown with embellishments around the neckline and slashes on the skirt but it was simple, lacking drama. As the show progressed, embellishments on the pieces multiplied with the next few pieces covered in sequins and baubbles. By the fourth piece, the muted colours exploded into a dress covered in brightly colored diamantes. The build-up in the drama was evident, but was the drama amped up for high fashion or the theatre? I personally felt it was the latter. Then, there were random pieces that had leather, tulle, embellisments, sequins, chiffon, ribbons - a very questionable and strange mix. The choice of materials, didn't quite come together and sorely missing was a unifying theme for the collection.

The only two pieces that I liked from the collection were these two dresses:

I've definitely seen better pieces by Dominique Sirop, but unfortunately, they were not present on Day 4. I would definitely give this Grand Couturier the benefit of the doubt; perhaps the pieces selected did not justify Dominique Sirop's mastery of elegance and amazing silhouettes, perhaps there'll be better ones next year.

Here's some other snapshots from WFW's lounge area and runway.

♥,
Fal