Ulyana Sergeenko Haute Couture: sweet sophomore

Ulyana Sergeenko had her second Haute Couture show last week at the Théâtre Marigny.  I loved walking in to spot all of the Ulyana clones with long prairie dresses, braids and a ethereal aura.  There is just something so special about this style of dress that intrigues me.

  

The show opened with the music of Somewhere Over the Rainbow quietly humming.  So much more restrained and less costume-y than her last show, these clothes remained true to the Ulyana spirit while also becoming wearable.  

Pieces were adorned with precise embroidery, lace and pleats.  Her accessories were endearing and sweet: parasols, hats, small clutches and lace gloves.  

An Americana theme was brought to life as Copland's Rodeo: Hoe-Down exploded through the small theater.  And the musical overture from the movie Rocky  (downloaded immediately). Dorothy from Oz visited and as a Southern girl, I couldn't miss Scarlett walk the runway.  

  

The show ended with a little peek-a-boo from Ulyana from within the little book at the back of the runway.  And then the sweet sounds of Tara started as the crowd exited the theater, Gone With the Wind.

For the love of Gaultier

The last day of Paris Couture week was my most anticipated day.  Jean Paul Gaultier.  You can expect Parisian chic, interesting, beautiful clothes shown with drama and flair.

With Cameron Silver  who is in cute Gaultier seer sucker, and I'm wearing Lisa Perry with
Gaultier necklace and leather jacket (photo courtesy of Ellen Olivier: Society News LA)

After about an hour, even the Divine Miss M had to stand up for a stretch and cool-off

Ulyana making her way in

First things first.  I thought the wait for the Rolland show was long the day before, but nothing had me prepared for the wait at Gaultier.  Held in his own space in the Marais, it can be hot along the catwalk in January, so just imagine in July.  In total time, we all waited 80 minutes.  I sat on the front row and straight across from me sat Bette Midler with her daughter.  And the Russian designer from the day before, Ulyana Sergeenko, came in wearing one of her couture designs.  Evian was passed around, and we all sat wondering if we were waiting for Madonna - or worse - Kim K.

George Sand

 

The show finally kicked off with sounds from Pete Doherty (apparently the show was inspired by the film he stars in, seen at the Cannes Film Festival, Confession of a Child of the Century).  Luckily, based on the film reviews, the show was much better than the film.  With a dark beginning, and looking like vampire visions of the turn of the Century, the black tails and top hats were alluring and sexy.  Breaking down the look into each piece, I saw the beauty and simplicity.  Everything was androgynous, as the show was also inspired by the life of George Sand, cross-dresser and writer of the nineteenth century.

But the men almost stole the show.  Even if they were dressed in dresses…

I must try this one on - sans fur.  And just look at the boots - these were also done in black.  Yummy!

Flappers emerged after the sea of black, bringing color, life and fun as the flappers did.  Les Garconnes, they also brought a little cross-dressing of their own with short hair, trousers for evening, and voting rights for women.  And thank the Lord, these models wore hair nets on their hair and not over their faces, remembering Valli and Armani.

Yes.  Worth the wait.  Gaultier fails to disappoint.  He is a genius of clothes, a genius of fashion.  A turban-wearing genius. And I have already downloaded the movie Impromptu...

Paris Haute Couture 2012: Ulyana Sergeenko, Stephane Rolland

It didn't seem possible to see any more beautiful clothes on the morning of Day 2, but I was off to do just that.  I started the day by seeing the first couture collection of Ulyana Sergeenko.  A Russian photographer, couture collector and street-style star, Sergeenko has turned designer with a passion for her homeland's traditional dress and culture.  

Ulyana on the street

Apparently, she is on the radar with Vogue magazine and the fashion world.  Her collection was very interesting - I've never seen anything like it.  Extremely editorial.  It was as if we were traveling through the Russian past, outfitting all the characters in Anna Karenina. There were the peasant blouses with ankle-length skirts, the Russian military came through in striking coats adorned with brooches looking like that of military medals, and then there was the Russian bride.  The show ended with a long dramatic black coat that could have been the same coat that Anna wore in her final moments.  

The models were like Matryoshka dolls (of the same size) marching out in various colors and babushkas, furs and mittens.  With sounds of Peter and the Wolf playing with the music, the designer transformed the Théâtre Marigny into a Russian menagerie.  Thinking about reading some more Tolstoy now…

Anna's Suicide Dress  

Quickly, I headed over to the Trocadéro for the Stephane Rolland Show.  French-born designer Stephane Rolland is no newbie to fashion.  As Creative Director for Balenciaga's menswear, he left to create his own ready-to-wear line, then ultimately in 2007 his couture line.  My first time to see his work, I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  Held at the Cité de l'architecture of the Palais de Chaillot (known as the Palais du Trocadéro), the setting was of yet another world.  There were long wooden benches as seats, and the guest list must have been pages long.

Waiting for Godot: with Christine Chiu, new friend Stephanie and Cameron Silver
Photo courtesy of Ellen Olivier: http://societynewsla.com/

Shows are always late.  And this one was no exception.  My teenaged babysitter, McCall, had announced the previous day that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were to be at the Rolland show.  That fact alone almost made me not go.  But there we were, waiting waiting waiting for Kim and Kanye.  

The show finally started, without the couple du jour, with a floor length ivory dress.  The palette of the runway was organic and neutral.  The clothes were simple and wearable.  There was a definite consistency to the collection that you could feel and see.  Mostly in the noodles that hung from the shoulders of dresses or coats.  Everything was extremely dramatic, but the body-conscious cuts could look good on a lot of women.  I loved all of the wooden details, from belts to shoes - it was really cool and original.

The oddest moment came when the bride-look walked down the runway.  Obviously close to tripping on fabric and/or heels, the model walked the catwalk slowly, methodically.  She was spreading her arms out to reveal more of the noodle-capped cape atop the gown.  She walked in slow motion, almost fearful of the altar.  Fashion is in the eye of the beholder, and I was not beholden.  I found it more like a circus….  Cut to Kim Kardashian: she had finally entered to view the final "look".  Shopping for a wedding dress?  The whole thing was just bizarre, the clothes were relegated backseat to celebrity, and the benches for paying customers were as hard as the temperature was hot.  

Not afraid of crow (or noodle) pie, I did like the shoes.  My immediate reaction to the show was, get me those shoes!  I loved the wooden sole and the sexy hug of the instep. Very chic.

And, as for Kim and her couture shopping… I can only say that she made a mess of traffic around the Trocadéro...