un moment avec Lee
Paris, France
The show credits printed on fan shaped card stock, might have been a hint towards the Japanese theme of the Stephan Rolland show, but they might as well have been to help combat the heavy stagnant air of the museum gallery. An impressive setting, the space itself was held amongst segments of crumbled French monuments; an appropriate backdrop for one of the most prominent current symbols of French patrimony, the Haute Couture collections. Stephen Rolland has been a member of the syndicate de la Haute Couture since 2007, and it is sophistication and savoir faire that continue to distinguish him amongst the
Among the words chosen to capture the themes of the show were: kimono, origami, steel sculpture, and Carmen Dell’Orefice. The direct references were clear from the first look: a dress braided out of heavy satin cords, like a sweater with different stitches giving texture and dimension, was in the shape of a stiff kimono. Each creation more mesmerizing than the next, every piece boasted a unique work of expert craftsmanship. Origami structures were created from steel, to-die-for ribbons, and what looked like plastic. The intricately pleated, looped, and folded structures were integrated into the immaculately executed gowns of silk, wool, and jersey. Either suggesting the bone structure of the body underneath or exaggerating the sculptural effect of the gowns, the results were works of art. One bright yellow gown had a braided bow sculpture at the back right shoulder, fading into a rubber coating that dripped down the seam around the zipper to the hem which was dies in three equal tiers of ombré that evoked the fogs of the Guilin mountains in China. Just one example of how his diverse sources of inspiration take form during his process.
Coming full circle, the show closed with another braided satin garment, this time a white robe that was heavy like the tempo of the organ music that lead the procession, step by step. You could see the weight of it in the way she, ever so gracefully, leaned forward to carry it down the runway. The incorporation of crystals into the design, added a sparkle and richness that pushed the pure white robe into an almost ethereal state, despite its weight. While kimonos and Japanese influences have long been referenced in Occidental design, Rolland’s interpretation today was modern and rich in exploration. He found a way to tell a new story with his own sensibility and modern techniques that bring the subject to a new standard.
- Lee Anderson, Parisian Correspondent
Designer: Stephane Rolland
Designer website: www.stephanerolland.com
