RAOUL, the 10 year old men’s shirt label turned full blown women’s & men’s collection, headed by sibling design duo Douglas & Odile Benjamin, simulcast their Fall 2012 collection from the runways of Singapore Fashion Week in this, their latest installment of fashion’s equivalent of a “World Tour”, having previously shown during the Fashion Weeks in New York & Paris.
The collection was in part 60’s, in part 80’s, but wholly modern in every way. The overall feeling was one of Jetson’s meet Mary Tyler Moore. “The line was inspired by Intersection: When one idea or direction meets with another”. The inspiration is evident in nearly every silhouette where textures, colors, & proportions of various ends of their respective spectrums are juxtaposed against one another with the result being a stronger new whole. While the collection is predominantly a dressy day collection, there were some surprisingly strong light evening pieces – light in function, not weight. This is a collection that is infinitely wearable & not only as full ensembles. The pieces would blend beautifully into a modern woman’s wardrobe to provide the yearly sought seasonal punch.
RAOUL has not made a huge splash on our shores… yet… but with offerings like the ones shown for Fall 2012, I suspect the collection’s zenith is just over the horizon…
-Scott French
Designer’s website: www.raoul.com
What we’ve said: Resort 2012
