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“I think we always think of Goddess like she is draping, that she is very delicate, so my Goddess is more ‘don’t look at her like she is an innocent Goddess’, but rather she will slaughter you”.
Direct to the point, this is how Bernard Chandran defines the essence of his new collection ‘Venus in the Daytime’ that was presented this Saturday at the Freemasons Hall.
A fashionable crew took to the front row and every single space left in the venue. It was crowded and a bit chaotic but when the lights went off a hip-hop vibe haunted us as the models start taking the catwalk.
Starting with a block of total black, we could appreciate a gradual show of colours and shapes. Similar garments shown in black were shown in pure white to start, introducing colourful fabrics towards the end of the show. Stripes and hidden faces were camouflaged into the looks as a signature for a surprising collection.
Made for the ‘Urban Goddess’, his collection has been inspired by the classic technique of Madame Gres, the Parisian fashion icon that made her name at the early decades of the twenty century by mixing sculpture with tailoring. Madame Gres signature was cut-outs on gowns that made exposed skin part of the design, yet still had a classic, sophisticated feel. As the designer explained to Fashion Scout, he introduced a much modern touch with a classical essence in mind “I made the draping in my collection more daytime, because most of the time you see Madame Gres using silk for the evening. It is much more couture, so I just wanted to change that and have fun”.
Bernard’s inspiration blossomed after he had the opportunity to work with Madame Pico, Madame Gres’s last living assistant. The result, a collection designed around the flat pleat, which transforms ordinary fabric into Greek sculpture with the use of delicate pleats and draping. In essence, Bernard Chandran’s new collection uses Madame Gres’s traditional silk jersey alongside a mixture of leather, lace, cotton, silk and cork that adds a modern twist to the classical antiquity of the flat pleat.
Even with modern interpretation Bernard Chandran has retained an aura of purity that transcends the eras, and offers a collection of sheer indulgence and femininity.
Backstage Bernard Chandran also explained to Fashion Scout that he wanted to create a young, fashionable vibe where the girl can remain true to herself and be confident. “We also wanted to show to highlight the difference between day and night, how the wearer can feel different and how every season the woman changes”, explained the designer.
By Laura Roig Vericat
