Sunday March 4, 2012 saw the presentation of Italian-Brazilian designer Barbara Casasola’s Autumn/Winter 2012 collection. Hosted in the Salon Marly of the prestigious Hôtel de Crillon, I was welcomed by the designer, who was wearing one of her creations. She took it upon herself to take me on a tour of her presentation and show me her creations one by one.
The first thing that stands out when observing Barbara’s designs are the impeccable cuts, the lengths (mid-calf, exclusively evening wear) and the non-existent seams. “I’ve tried to give the clothes a sober aesthetic where detail matters” indeed, patterns are non-existent in this collection, which is her second on her own account. She has indeed worked with Roberto Cavalli, Lanvin and See by Chloé (on the commercial side), and it’s clear that finesse and delicacy of workmanship and technique are an integral part of Barbara’s creative process.
The colors remain sober: black, ochre, turquoise, mustard, burgundy, white, and the materials noble: silk, wool, all inspired by church stained glass (for the hues) and monastic and religious vestments (for the shapes) but never austere. The waist is marked (the detail on the belts is absolutely incredible), the whole is very feminine and reminds me at times of Christopher Kane, YSL or even Givenchy, although in Barbara’s case, there’s a lot of suggestion and nothing too obvious is shown. Movement and comfort are also very important to her, and it’s on these points that the technique is paramount (especially the seams, which are indistinct but follow the shape of the woman’s body).
The woman Barbara Casasola idealizes is a true lady, who doesn’t need to prove herself or show off to exist or assert herself, and that’s what makes her so impressive. She imposes herself through her sobriety, but the detail is so present that even the untrained eye is blown away.
Élégance, transparence
Éléments géométriques, silhouette allongée
Drapé, inspiration monacale
Sobriété, féminité.
Mary Yasmine ARROUCHE
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
