un moment avec Lee
Paris, France
In the broad sense, Haute Couture can really go one of two ways: embellished or structured. Stephane Rolland proved again in his Summer 2012 Couture collection that he is a master of structure and shape. To celebrate his 10th collection, the designer needed only do what he does best, and deliver he did. Solid colors and structure more than embellished surfaces, he used fabrics to their maximum potential to create shape and movement like no one else. Movement was a key theme in this collection, inspired by the work of Michel Deverne whose sculptures possess a kinetic energy that provided Rolland’s momentum for the season.
Silk charmeuse chiffon and jersey provided the soft, fluid line of physical movement, while organza and the more structured fabrics became forms of suggested movement. Inside became outside and bodies became the structural foundation for swirling compositions of organza sheets like the ripples in marble or rising smoke from a narrow crevice. Golden rings, discs, belts and harnesses provided a sheen against the matte colors, vivid and intense although limited in range. The metal pieces also became structurally integral, becoming loopholes for drapery, structure around cut-outs or supporting necklines. Rolland has a knack for integrating hardware with a purist’s eye, creating a seamless interaction between silk and metal.
The final gown, so heavy the model had assistance in turning at the end and top of the runway, was decorated with matching red lacquered discs, helping to visually balance the weight of the substantially oversized train. In true Rolland showmanship, she returned to the top of the runway and stood there, regal, in the frame of gallery’s stonework. The perfect image to conclude this celebratory show.
- Lee Anderson, Parisian Correspondent
Designer: Stephane Rolland
Designer website: www.stephanerolland.com
What we’ve said: Haute Couture Fall 2012
