When I, along with inter alia Tina Haagensen and New York´s Couture Fashion Week organizer Andres Aquino, had my fashion show at India International Fashion Week in December 2009, this was practically between two fashion week seasons. Therefore a dress from the Indian show got new life already two months later, going from summer to winter with a few stiches.
It started with light dusty pink satin decorated with numeruos pearls around the neck opening. Ancient Indian clothing was one of the inspirational sources:
At its idea level, at the workshop.
Everything under control: Pre-fashion show styling in the workshop, November 2009
The summer version was combined with a golden bolero and shown on a dark model at Crowne Plaza in Gurgaon, contrasting her skin in a very delicate way:
Especially the fabric of the skirt was a visual success because of the vivid shine in it, but somehow the outfit did not show its full potential at this stage.
After the show I had only two months to complete another collection, the elsewhere more severe "Imperivm". I had been looking so forward to create it that I actually had made a few sneak peak items to it in connectyion with exhibiting at Oslo Fashion Fair in August. The dusty pink dress was, however made with only India in mind.
But I got so fond of it, and especially the simple, 1960s inspired design (later enhanced by the flower collar) and the tassel decorations, that it deserved renewed life. Indias treasures fully belongs in an imperial context, too. Wide, also 1960s/1970s inspired arms and a collar were now attached, also to fit with the less welcoming Norwegian climate. This version was then shown on the gorgeous Norwegian model, Anna from Team models, who debuted this season:
February 2010: Can it be cuter?
The dress reappeared without any further alternations in connection with the "Mixed Candy" show at the Miss Norway finale 2010. The red, that is to say green, thread of the finale show was environmentalism, so all the dress show items were either reused, remixed or redesigned for the occassion. Here the sympathetic and sweet finalist Rikke Norby wore it:
Unluckily the belt and necklace had started living a life on their own, altering the original styling.
After this, the dress still would not lay down among with its more quiet sisters: The Norwegian visagist Sølvi Strifeldt used it for a poetic, yet colorful makeup photo shoot the month later. This was symbolically done in Oslo´s bothanical gardens:
Makeup/styling: Sølvi Strifeldt
Hairstyling: Linnea Syversen and Sølvi Strifeldt
Model: Lone Bru Kjær
Edit: Sølvi Strifeldt - http://facebook.com/RETOUCHIC
Accessories: Glitter - Vinterbro
And what then?
Maybe the flower dress should be altered and find its way into the designer´s own closet? There it will find nurture in the company of many others ...
