Monday, February 28, 2011

Bottega Veneta Fall 2011

Rarely, actually never before, has a designer's runway show possessed me to wax lyrical about its creations post pic-viewing-sur-blogs... Until now...
Bottega Veneta, to me, was one of those brands that I was aware of (I educated myself early to whom I should accredit the origin of the leather-weaved accessory), that I held respect for (certo! It's Italian!), but that never really inspired any resonance with my sartorial aesthetic preferences. Until now...
Thanks to Mr Schuman, and his shot front-row-side of Isabeli Fontana (Oh, Victorian Angel), or more specifically, the dress she wears, I headed to Style.com in search of a full length image, and while hastily flicking through each image to get to Ms Fontana found myself pausing longer and longer at each look...
It started with Abbey, and the matching hair to tights in sweet 70's, crochet and burnt orange perfection...

Then with Coco and Maricarla, whose looks seem to have been designed for them, as opposed to being cast to them...
How MCB's stereotyped gothic/rebel style is maintained all the while perfectly appropriating the BV's 50's house-wife look makes this designer/ stylist/ casting agent partnership flawless.

Then saunters in this colour..., which seems to be getting publicity of its own...,

...which also draws a 60's 'Mod girl' reference (what, that's three eras thus far...?)

Then, the dresses became a life of their own, opening, gaping, breaking-free. 
Although, it is almost as is if BV's Tomas Maier designed these last, and getting tired of the prim and propriety of everything prior, took a seam-unpicker and went Norman Bates on poor Natasha Poly's torso, creating something beautifully horrific.

THEN!, this happened...
I apologise in advance, because I severely dislike comparing designer to designer, similarly director to director, musician to musician, artist to artist, because while I'm of the acceptance that nothing is purely original in this world anymore, the interpretations of wonderfully creative and brilliant minds is what keeps peeps such as myself contstantly inspired and should be celebrated in their own right.
However, my obsession with this dress since 2005 means that anything with a lace overlay will forever hold a special place in the wardrobe of my heart. And will always, always draw a comparison.
I love everything about the BV dress above... the black, white and yellow, my interior-stylist-best-friend's favourite colourway which, in turn, reminds me of her, the thick, circus-tent stripes, the lace hip-band, the flapper/ beaded skirt. And, of course, Carmen Kass' grin sets it all off. Gah! 

Moving on...


I have no formal sewing training what-so-ever (if you'll excuse high school D&T classes where we learnt to make boxer shorts and pencil cases), so I thank BV for the above gowns by setting a precedence in the pin and tack method, which is exactly how I'd like to get away with sewing a full skirt on a bodice with unfinished seams. 
These are so exquisite, the models get lost in the gatherings and layers of fabric. Amazing.
Last, but not least, Isabeli. 
With her amazing body and a golden tan to match the molten gold of the skirt.
Grazie Bottega Veneta.

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