Drapés, feuilletés, lightness, movement, blends of materials, gradations of color, such is the collection of Prince Charmant de la Mode, aka Stéphane Rolland.
The darling of French Haute-Couture once again offered us a show of beauty that lived up to our expectations. For winter 2010-2011, Stéphane Rolland invites us to let our femininity and sensuality shine through in a sober collection that favors long evening gowns worn capped, with tights encrusted with cabochon stones, and subtly blends materials.
The Stéphane Rolland woman has a slim, slender waist, which she marks by belting it, but always very finely, in dresses that enhance her silhouette without being too close to the body. She takes great care with her clothes, because she likes to be well-groomed. The Stéphane Rolland woman knows how to remain glamorous in all circumstances, avoiding overly ostentatious details. Her dress serves as a showcase, with only a few sparkling cabochons sprinkled on her tights. Her hair is natural and loose, yet shiny and wispy, and her make-up is light. And she’s all about her structured, curvaceous dresses, to show off her gait perched on very high, yet stiletto heels.
Stéphane Rolland’s collection is all about movement. The fabrics are sumptuous and airy, the cuts fluid and unobtrusive. Indeed, each model seems to be itself in motion, driven by that of the woman who wears it. And that’s thanks to a variety of structural tricks: curvaceous shapes, perfectly controlled lengths, capes galore, pleats, organza puffs, dresses with rounded, structured sleeves…
Indeed, Stéphane Rolland’s Winter 2010-2011 collection was initially inspired by very round shapes reminiscent of the polished pebbles of his childhood. From belt buckles to suit shapes, the pebble is almost omnipresent throughout the collection. Referring to the work of contemporary sculptor Anish Kapoor and his fantastic Cloud Gate, the French designer offers us the Cocon suit in double wool crepe, a 50s-inspired tailoring dress topped by a curvaceous jacket with Arches sleeves enveloping the silhouette. The French designer used gazar in particular for its rounded shapes and to create certain draperies.
The cape then naturally found its place to envelop every movement. From couture suits to short cocktail dresses and long evening gowns, the cape is de rigueur. It even replaces the train of the mini wedding dress.
And for the ultimate sensation of movement, the designer has embellished some dresses with sublime feuilletés. The organza feuilletés bring the dresses almost to life, following and embracing the gait so gently as they create their own movement. The gait is sublimated, enveloped in a wave of softness and reminiscent of Martha Graham choreography. Pleats are also very much in evidence, and organza veils delicately cover embroideries, cashmeres and crepes.
Velvet is magnified in an unforgettable electric blue, reminiscent of the inside of a jewelry box. We recognize the designer’s favorite materials: jersey and wool crepe, leather, satin, a material also found on shoes.
The mirror-like reflections of Chicago’s Cloud Gate inspired the French designer to create the tones for this collection. The dresses come in mineral hues reminiscent of stormy skies. All the colors of the sky before the storm cohabit in this collection. We find his famous gradient of gray, which he has also applied to a fabulous palette of blues: charcoal gray, slate gray, gray blue, navy blue, royal blue, electric blue and steel blue. Black and white are of course also present, blending with sky colors and bark brown to create stormy hues.
With this collection, Stéphane Rolland reminds us why Haute-Couture exists: clothing must remain a woman’s showcase. The dresses go back to basics: the garment enhances the woman, but doesn’t crush her. On the contrary, it sublimates her in a sober, tailor-made way.
And with this new collection, the designer proves that the woman of his dreams, the Stéphane Rolland woman, is the quintessence of Parisian chic.
Marie-Odile Radom
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