Picture taken 05 October 2006 of a robot wearing a creation by veteran Japanese designer Hanae Mori at the opening of her retrospective show at the Latin American House in Paris(AFP/HO/File/Patrice Stable)
PARIS (AFP) - Two years after bidding her haute couture fans an emotional farewell from the Paris catwalk, veteran Japanese fashion designer Hanae Mori's luxurious creations are back in the City of Lights.
But this time her entirely hand-crafted garments are on close-up display -- to show off their intricate details -- at a retrospective of the 80-year-old's groundbreaking career.
The exhibition at the Maison de l'Amerique Latine on Paris' Left Bank is also a tribute to the fashion world's capital where Mori became the first Japanese designer to officially enter the quintessentially Parisian world of haute couture in 1977.
It offers a golden chance to view the exquisite embroidery, beading and sharp tailoring that typified Mori's couture collections which always melded a Japanese aesthetic with Western styles.
And the opportunity has delighted visitors.
Peering up close at the refined beaded Japanese fans adorning a black dress, Arlette Brousse, from Biarritz who was visiting Paris, marvelled at the hours of work that went into the made-to-order pieces.
"They are works of art," she enthused.
Antonia Ankersmit, from Amsterdam, said she had worked with fashion house Nina Ricci as a seamstress in 1963-1964 and that the exhibition was a "must" during her stay of just a few days in the French capital.
She commented that she had "never seen anything like this before", adding that a series of vivid-hued sequinned 'butterfly' gowns on display were among her favourites.
Indeed, Mori's love of butterfly motifs in her dresses earned her the nickname of "Madame Butterfly", and a robot designed by Tatsuya Matsui is used to model a yellow and black kimono-style 'butterfly-wing' dress.
Organisers said the robot, whose name is Palette, which moves its arms when visitors approach to display the floor-length sleeves, was aimed at creating a link to the future.
Japanese traditions and art played an important part in Mori's designs either in the cut or the embellishment, which could also include Japanese masks, cherry blossoms or obi belts.
But she combined these elements of her cultural heritage with Western styling.
A sleek black satin tuxedo from her 2004 collection incorporated a sassy white waistcoat, while hidden inside on its white silky lining fluttered a sweet small embroidered butterfly.
Crocodile leather and plastic discs with an animal print also feature.
In addition, the exhibition, which has already been held in Tokyo at the New National Theatre earlier in the year, sheds light on Mori's costume designs for theatre, opera and ballet.
For instance, she designed the stage costumes for, appropriately, "Madame Butterfly" performed at La Scala in Milan in 1985. Early in her career, Mori had designed movie costumes.
She studied Japanese literature at Tokyo Women's Christian University, but after marrying, she opted to study design, and in 1951, she opened her first studio in the Japanese capital.
In 1965, Mori unveiled her first collection abroad, in New York, along the theme of "East Meets West", and went on to become the first Japanese designer chosen as a member of the ultra-selective Parisian Chambre Syndicale de la Couture.
The exhibition runs until October 27, at 217, Boulevard Saint Germain, and is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. Free admission.
electronic blog posting written by Kate Millar
mondomedeusah electronic daily magazine
mondomedeusah fashion
mondomedeusah {engine 4.4}
afp
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment