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

Couture - Haute & Atas

The hype for WFW 2011 has certainly died down but the impact that some of the designers have left sure has not. I think it was absolute brilliance for the Haute Couture Week to be tied in with Voilah, the French Festival. Not only did us Singaporeans get to savour the beauty and genius of French grand couturiers, we also managed to catch a glimpse inside the fashion industry through the fashion films presented by the Alliance Francaise Singapore at their in-house theatre and at Sinema. Together, they provided an overview of the French luxury fashion industry that prior to this, I would not have been able to comprehend and hence appreciate. 

Going back to day 4 of WFW, I remember Alexis Mabille's show as one of my favourites. Not only was his show breathtaking, he had a vision for haute couture as an industry and as a trade that got me thinking. For one, Mabille believes that haute couture is not a dying industry and hopes to present it as something that is fresh and modern such that it would appeal to more people. 

To get haute couture to the market is not easy. For most people, fashion is just what they wear everyday. A haute couture showcase then is probably a more 'atas' show than the usual, boring fashion shows. That does have some truth in it. After all, haute couture as the name suggests means high dressmaking. To most, it's probably more atas fashion. To others like Fal and I who study dressmaking and can give our two cents worth about tailoring, haute couture is dressmaking at its absolute finest. It is the artisan concept made tangible and real through the use of unrivalled construction techniques, manipulation of fabrics, textures and shapes and attention to the most minute details, some of which would have never even crossed my mind.

The artisan concept that is the foundation of haute couture is definitely not one for all to appreciate. There are just so many people out there who will not understand the rarity of such creativity and the intricacy of such construction. Neither will they understand the complex design process in which the designers can spend weeks and months poring over in order to produce a physical manifestation of the visual and architectural concepts (relating to the way the textiles and construction come together of course) conjured up in their heads. Sometimes it isn't just the pieces coming down the runway that get me excited, it's the audience. To hear the audible gasp among the audience, that short intake of breath that is hardly audible individually but so powerful as a collective, is proof that there are people who see what I am seeing and can appreciate what I am utterly impressed by. 

Not too long ago, I had a friend joke about the fashion channels on cable. While channel surfing, he (of course it's a he) happened to see stick-thin models walking down the runway. In 30 minutes, when he chanced across the channel again, it was the same stick thin girls strutting down the runway. No difference. I get where he's coming from of course because fashion shows on tv, not exactly entertainment. More like a channel filler. Haute couture is definitely something to be absorbed in the flesh. The drama takes place in tandem with the music and the setting in an atmosphere of anticipation and unspoken excitement. This was exactly what it was like before Alexis Mabille. Several people whom Fal and I had spoken to outside at the cocktail reception were psyched for his show, especially after the roundtable symposium that had gone on earlier that day with the rest of the designers. With a history of nine years once spent under the master of drama, John Galliano, at Dior, Alexis Mabille definitely brought the drama on with fierce animal accents and lots of volume.

Finale dress

Unfortunately, Fal and I were stupidly presumptuous. We assumed the show would start at least 15 minutes late because Dominique Sirop started exceptionally late. Hence, we left the venue to catwalk (more like balance on our skyscraper heels) to a coffee joint for a caffeine fix at the other end of MBS. When we returned, the show had STARTED. Panicking, flustered, frantic (feel free to insert all other synonyms), we rushed in and managed to catch half of the show. Oh yeah, we were close to killing ourselves (haha). 

Couture pieces demand and deserve so much more than a half-hearted sense of 'wow, that's nice' and only people who can understand the work and value behind couture will be able to give couture just what it needs. To each his own, I cannot expect everyone to afford couture the same amount of respect and admiration as I (or Fal) do. As for Alexis Mabille's vision, I do hope haute couture manages to live through an evolution that doesn't diminish the mystique and allure that surrounds haute couture as much as it defines this niche and artisan industry.

♥,
Fir

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