(By Elisa Cecchi)
Italy's Alessandro Dell'Acqua
used powerful words to describe his first collection for Rochas
Wednesday in Paris - romance and noir, intertwined in a "liaison
dangereuses".
It was a striking endeavour by the 52-year-old Neapolitan
designer with rich fabrics and bold silhouettes vying for a
grandeur befitting couture, which opened the women's fall 2014
fashion shows in Paris.
The designer has over the past four years won over a cult
following with his highly wearable, chic and artsy N.21 label
following a 20-year-long career including stints with top
Italian fashion houses such as Brioni and Malo.
Then in September Dell'Acqua was hired to fill Marco
Zanini's shoes after the Italian designer made such a success of
Rochas that he landed the sought-after role of reviving the
Schiaparelli brand.
And Dell'Acqua's debut on Wednesday followed in the
footsteps of his predecessor's more recent collections in terms
of bold shapes and a penchant for rich brocades and velvets
while showing his strong and modern hand in designing the future
direction of the prestigious French fashion house.
Silhouettes were ample and strong yet flattering, with a
very modern take on femininity played up by a layering game of
coats and gowns in a palette embracing soft shades of pink and
camel.
Two winter coats were layered over each other in a number
of looks.
Polo dresses and elegant statement gowns were layered over
other dresses.
The effect was never bulky, with A-line silhouettes hugging
the shoulders and upper body.
Austerely simple blouses were tucked into stunning, long
brocade skirts.
The solemnity of such rich clothing was always played down
by a quirky touch, like bat-shaped glasses replicating those of
the label's founder Marcel Rochas, or long, coloured gloves.
In one look, light blue gloves were matched with a
bejewelled jacket over a shiny skirt.
The mixture of fabrics was elaborate - rich velvets,
chiffons and brocades - with opulent contrasts.
"I tried to evoke a typically French attitude of Rochas in
a more contemporary style, less retro and more decisive" for a
woman who is "less sweet and romantic and more confident," said
Dell'Acqua.
Dell'Acqua's debut on Wednesday paved the way to other fall
2014 ready-to-wear collections designed by high-profile Italian
designers to be presented in Paris.
Sunday will be the day of Riccardo Tisci, who as creative
director of Givenchy since 2005 has always staked his career on
challenging fashion's status quo.
A day later, another Italian who has made in Paris will
step under the limelight.
When he created his label in 2005 after working at Emanuel
Ungaro, Giambattista Valli won over a new generation of European
socialites as a young designer making unapologetically happy,
romantic clothes.
He was also the first designer in years to make a
breakthrough in the tight-knit world of couture.
On Monday, the Rome-born Valli will be presenting his
ready-to-wear line.
So will another strong Italian talent, the versatile Fausto
Puglisi.
After showing his own brightly coloured collection in Milan
last week, with tough-chic clothes inspired by diverse artists
like Kazimir Malevich, Sonia Delaunay and the Ballets Russes,
Puglisi will be sending down the Parisian catwalk his collection
for Emanuel Ungaro.
Leading Italian fashion duo Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier
Paolo Piccioli will present the Valentino collection on Tuesday
while Miuccia Prada's Miu Miu will wrap up the Paris shows on
Wednesday, the day of the much-awaited debut of Nicolas
Ghesquiere at Louis Vuitton.
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