\ RUNWAY MAGAZINE ®: July 2011

July 25, 2011

RUNWAY MAGAZINE. Alice in Wonderland of Haute Couture

Parisian tendency of fall-winter 2011-2012

Fashion is a doll-house of modern world. We like to dress and to be dressed. Modern life of a woman turns into wonderland where she gives to herself every day different character, she surrounds herself by could of mystery or dominating attraction. We don't like to be the same every day. Our playground is beyond of men imagination. They change their minds very quickly, we are quicker then that, and we are capable to predict, to keep them on edge of tense and wonder for more.
Haute couture – tailoring, high dressmaking, high dressing is a fusion of this modern playground. Couturiers bring every season their imagination to the level of artistic exquisite garment aggregate along with “magic” craft. This season they created magic of “happiness”. Happy funny silhouettes of elegant and amusing Alices chasing White Rabbits in the winter, trying Cube-Hats, and playing with flamingos on snow – image of this season which is done in different colors and mood of Wonderland.
New line of Chanel exposed in see trough geometry, feathers, and in peplum silhouettes. Collection in white, black, gray and muted colors was reflection of Karl Lagerfeld himself – Mister White Rabbit. Little curious girl is always wondering around Place Vendome, loosing herself in magical spheres and sparkles.



"Mondrian day” of Dior collection. Planarity of the dresses is an ideal field for colors and blocks. Knowing the flat planes of the 1960s canvases achieved by contemporary artists in the lineage of Mondrian, new line of Dior this season made in artistic sensibility, giving to winter tutti-frutti candy attitude.



Walk in magic field of iridescence, sun's rays, reflecting around everything what she sees: architectural lines, glass surfaces and glinting forms, Alice of Elie Saab is a crown jewel of Wonderland who creates magic by her presence, surrounded by lightness, draped in tulle, silk, chiffon and lace.



Mystery of looped transformed ribbons in elegant floating silhouettes – this is image of Alice of Stephane Rolland. She definitely came out of the sea. She is more Mermaid then human who doesn't obliged to hide her tail. She is floating in aqueous arabesques of whimsy with no limits. She is always dreaming about Dodo – prehistoric creature, with remaining dinosaur's spine out of bows, and waves. And all these dreams tattooed on her skin.



The magic fable created by Alexis Mabille about Her Majesty – Feathered Queen Alice radiates mystery and magic transformation of the world. Feather accessory, furry sleeves and shoulders – refracting shapes and lights, forms and colors, in everything around her.





Deep Cherry Red Alice of Alexandre Vauthier wrapped like a gift for Queen of Hearts. She improvises her images in break of glass of the all creatures she has met in her journey. They are still all around her, mysteriously appear and disappear in her silhouette. Fur coats, plums bolero-wings, large shoulder armour, shaped like giant rose petals from garden of Queen. Ultra attractive in all dimensions.



Alice of Tang Dynasty, powerful and eccentric, floating in silk, dripping honeydew all over her path – the image drawn by Zuhair Murad in his new collection. He exhausted all exalted variants of silk to create his perfect woman: crepe satin, organza, mikado, silk tulle, silk mousseline, gazard and lace. Luscious foliage embroideries of blooming lilies, bamboo shoots and love birds, are in the traditions at the height of Tang Dynasty. This is a story of a quest for harmony between Ying and Yang.





Surreal extravaganza, the most daring of all the land, Alice of Iris van Herpen, art herself, she exposed her brilliance in 3d designs. Crystallized splashes of water, falling down the shoulders like ruff-foam, sugar-structured wings, web of leather-yarns spinning around body – image of Alice coming trough mirror-transformation when there's no time to drink vials to become big or small enough to fit into reality. Transforming herself in between craftsmanship and 
innovation in technique and materials, Iris van Herpen finds a new way for her Alice to express underline her individuality.





Neo-futuristic, Snow Off Alice from house “On Aura Tout Vu”, collectes all mirrors around. She wants to see through and reflect the world, project her grace and life of her universe. Colorful spirit of forest, curious alluring Alice of Franck Sorbier is contradiction of strong little solder of Maxime Simoens marching on parade.



Spanish hit for Alice brought by Jeremy Bueno to the stage of Wonderland. Empress of sapphire mountains, who possessed Basil Soda, came out of her shine land into real world, giving her sparks to the stones and reflects everything around her.



Fragile, emulating the mythical imaginations, blooming juvenility, Alice of Georges Hobeika is walking on clouds like Greek goddess, spreading her gracious strength. Metal sheaths with complex joins constructed Alice of Christophe Josse. She is an antipode of Alice of Didiit with her twisted delicacy and over-fragility, growing from lily petals and ostrich plums.





Such magical land – Wonderland of Haute Couture, where everything is possible, where everything is changing dimensions and forms, transforms one to another. Brilliantly captured moments, ones more floating in front of my eyes, like a deck of cards, are ultimate imagination of supreme being with the paradox of being the paragon of Fashion.




Eleonora de Gray

Special thanks to Adam McQueen (a photographer, my Dodo, who's hiding behind the curtain, and whispers his brilliant notes and remarks in my ears)

On 2 last photos:
Susan Tabak, Diana Pernet (Shadowed view of fashion), me
Great Marcel Marongiu (designer of Guy Laroche) and me

Photo:
©Simon Ackerman
©Leah McQueen
©Chanel
©Dior
©Didit
©GeorgesHobeika
©Maxim Simoens
©Zuhair Murad







Le Bal des Princesses. All that baroque of Paris

The only one, the famous the Ball of Princesses this year again gathered 2000 people in Pavilion Royal, dressed in costumes XVIII-XIX. Splendid evening was organized by Dan Marie Rouyer.




Ones again he brought the old fame of balls in Versailles. At midnight the all magic started. These wonderful dreams of French past came that night alive again: Princesses and Beasts, Countesses and Musketeers , Marquises and Fairies, Tzars and Maharajahs, Emperors and Priests, electrified by Mozart and Lully with Djs Ariel Wizman and Frederic Beigbeder.
Paris by night is enchanted world, like ones again Woody Allen showed us in his last movie. Inspiration and fantasy meld under mask and cloak where nobles dance in the Faerie Court and legends take precious breath. Here is where our dreams are born. A night of fantasy in the dreaming realms of Faerie and beyond the realms of the Luis XIV. Frederic Taddei, Ariel Wizman, Nicolas Bedos came with actress Pom Klementieff and Linda Lacoste, joined ranks of Royalties and hiding their true identity. Solar assembly and grace of gods turned this night into magnificent fiery in honor of true Royal family.
God save Paris by night!




L’unique et fameux Bal des Princesses a attiré cette année encore 2 000 personnes au Pavillon Royal, tous habillés en costumes des XVII ème et XVII ème siècles. Une superbe soirée organisée de main de maître par Dan Marie Rouyer. Une fois de plus, grâce à lui, on avait le sentiment d’assister à l’un de ces fameux bals du temps de la cour à Versailles.
La vraie magie démarra à minuit. Ce merveilleux imaginaire du flamboyant passé français est revenu à la vie : des belles et des bêtes, des comtesses et des Mousquetaires, des marquises et des fées, des Tsars et des Maharajahs, des empereurs et des Cardinaux, le tout dans une ambiance électrique façon Mozart et Lully revisités, avec aux platines Ariel Wizman et Frederic Beigbeder.




Paris la nuit est un monde enchanté, comme nous pouvons le voir une fois de plus dans le dernier film de Woody Allen. Fantasmes et légèreté mêlés sous les masques, lumineux souffle des danses de la noblesse plongée dans une cour de légende... Nous voici revenus là où nos rêves sont nés. Une nuit de rêve au royaume de la féérie, et, transportés depuis le temps du bel éclat de Louis XIV, Frederic Taddéi, Ariel Wizman, Nicolas Bedos avec les comédiennes Pom Klementieff et Linda Lacoste, ont pour un soir rejoint les rangs de la famille royale, et ont oublié leur véritable identité.
Cette superbe assemblée et une certaine grâce divine ont fait de cette soirée un moment magnifique partagée avec une véritable famille royale.
Dieu bénisse les nuits parisiennes !



Eleonora de Gray
Jean-Pierre Danel (French version)

Photographer Caroline Véran