Friday, March 07, 2008

Winter Garden ... Celine F/W 2008-09

Croatian designer Ivana Omazic has successfully entered her third year with Celine and indeed, her presence has fruitfully turned the fashion house, which is famous for its classic take on women's sportswear into one of the leading fashion labels sought after by all fashionable women around the globe.

If the current spring/summer collection showcases her reinterpretation of women's dressing in the 19th century, Omazic is catching the fashion world attention again with her new fall/winter 2008 offerings.

Retaining the techno-couture approach which she adapted for the current season line, Omazic skillfully combined the best of feminine shapes with technical pieces and smartly plays on softness and fluid against tense and modern silhouettes.

"I wanted a collec
tion for here and now, with contemporary, urban, active pieces that celebrate the movement of the body and feminine silhouette," she says. "I was inspired by extreme sports and flowers that I adore. A collection for the city (Paris) and the serenity that fashion can provide."

"It associates speed and and softness, movement and grace, playing up the contrasts of Couture Sportswear inherent to Celine," she added further.

Ruling the working palette for this year's fall/winter are multiple shades of grays and sexy, solid black, a little bit of cream, platinum, brown, blue, with occasional appearances of red and green.

Kicking off the Celine show is a collection of attires in angora, wool (double-faced, superfine, and foam stretch), and silk all drenched in the shade of non-gleaming platinum such as wooded jacket with glove-sleeved sweaters, sculpted-sleeve coat, boyish pants, and double-layered arum dress with piped hem.

Later, the stage was taken over by tints of dark starting with black self-belted double breasted boned trench in techno gabardine with black mink-collared breitschwantz bolero, stretch wool cropped jacket in onyx with silk ponge sleeveless flower blouse and flower-shaped neckline, turrtleneck glove-sleeved sweater in cashmere and silk with tailored boyish pants; wool and silk radzmir cascade dress, rosebud skirt in silk faille with matching 'trompe l'oeil" zipped jackets, and cashmere and mohair tank top.

Though the appearance of metallic hues may be subtle in the next sesons, Omazic even included a dress all drenched in sequin and elegantly paired with flouncy petticoat and sleeveless cashmere and silk hooded top in anthracite and a sequined skirt with flouncy petticoat matched with chunky hand-knitted hooded coat in angora and caviar wool, a brief reminder to the fall/winter of the late 90's.

But of all the black pieces I've seen, nothing takes my breath away than the flower petal trench in onyx nylon, totally a must buy, beg, borrow or steal!
Indeed, the flower petal trench marked the audience's transition into Omazic's winter garden. Starting the burst of colors and volumes was a green orchid petal balloon dress in silk organza, then followed by pink silk organza orchid dress, and orange hibiscus dress in similar material to the orchid dresses.

Smart use of volume too has successfully turned the luxurious fox furs into a stunning balloon coat! For evening section, the apparels are both appealing and dramatically done, combining eternal glamor and athletics.

Must have pieces for the evening throughout the season are gathered rosebud dress in iron silk ponge, silk faille jacket with fox cape in onyx worn with matching silk jersey hooded gown, silk voile petal gown and short-sleeved silk faille bolero in midnight, and last not least, the perfectly draped teal strapless flower gown in silk ponge.

For accessories, Celine adorers can look forward to boots, short boots and pumps on crystal-faceted heels with multiple ankle straps and velcro closure. As Celine is synonymous with it's 'it' bag, don't let your eyes away from the "Watch Me" bags in nappa leather with mirror insert and orchid engraving.

Celine's fall/winter 2008-09 ready-to-wear and accessories will be available at Celine boutiques and selected upscale retailers worldwide starting the end of August to late September, while the spring/summer 2008 is out now.

*Photos by Danielle Oberrauch for imaxtree.com/Style.com

Celine - Second Floor, Couture Pavilion, Pavilion KL, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100, Kuala Lumpur; Adorn Floor, Starhill Gallery, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100, Kuala Lumpur; Ground Floor, Isetan KLCC, Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, 50088, Kuala Lumpur; Ground Floor, Isetan The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur.

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