In the solemn atmosphere of the Temple de l’Oratoire du Louvre, the Harryhalim brand invites us to be a romantic yet mysterious woman through its Spring-Summer 2011« I’m not yours » collection.
A strange place to present a fashion collection than a place of worship, such is its solemnity. But the choice quickly made sense, as the location is so much in line with the young designer’s thinking. based in Paris. Harry Halim likes to explore the darker side of humanity, even its limits, and his latest collection is very feminine, romantic and darkly sensual. With the lyrics to Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue’s « Where the Wild Roses Grow » printed on the presentation notes, the show could get underway with the idea that the rose would make a prominent appearance.
This Spring-Summer 2011 collection, where transparency is king, favors a mix of materials. Leather, satin and silk rub shoulders with the most delicate of laces. In fact, lace is the major component of this collection, and Harry Halim offers us different ways of using lace on a garment. From simple veils to short trains, lace adorns many silhouettes when it’s not the main component of a dress. It can also dress up pants with delicate details.
Velvet appears in the form of bouquets of black roses adorning a long lilac dress here, or in the form of a rose belt there. The bouquet of black roses symbolizing this dark sensuality is found on several pieces, as a bib, skirt or short jacket. Velvet adorns the bib of a dress, revealing a delicate, airy pleat.
Short, even ultra-short, is also in the spotlight in this collection, but the designer has not forgotten long dresses and asymmetries. Décolletés are deep, backs cleverly bare.
Harry Halim’s collection is often monochrome, from black to midnight blue to deep chocolate. But he’s woken up to an overly sober outfit, adding a few touches of lilac on several silhouettes when he’s not offering us this fabulous lilac dress embellished with black roses or a shorter version worn with a short chocolate tuxedo jacket.
Harryhalim’s feminine yet dark collection filled us with poetry, inspired as we were by the solemnity of the setting. Every season, the young designer reinvents himself, exploring a little more of his darker side and affirming his taste for mixing materials.
« On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow, And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief , As I kissed her goodbye, I said, ‘All beauty must die’ , And lent down and planted a rose between her teeth. »
Marie-Odile Radom
