“I am made to please.
And can’t change anything…
My heels are too high.
And my waist is too curved.”
This is what Stephane Rolland’s creations would tell us if they were to speak. The cinematic runway of his newest Haute Couture collection told the story of an elegant and delicate woman through the nocturnal streets of Paris, a story of mystique and poetry.
From the scenery to the music and the characters, the show built an atmosphere and feeling we have all once known, but might have buried in our memory over the course of a busy daily life.
Back to the core parisian essence. To this familiar city where stone walls retain memories of countless strangers, of generations of inhabitants, visitors and passersby, all reunited by this unanimous feeling we have all experienced in this mystical city.
The show is a poetic homage to Paris, to its history and its charm. We are taken back to its core spirit.
Now shifting our focus to the designer’s creations. These further carry out his ode to Parisian chic, playing on the dichotomy between deep black drapings and immaculate white weavings. A story of modern elegance in the capital of fashion.
In the dark room, the models start walking up to us, Stephane Rolland’s women are gracious and alluring, switching from day to night look, they are immersed in the modern life of a capital. After a long day, in the twilight, we are first met with a strong smoking suit. The uniform of a woman after a long day of work, ready to dive into the nightlife; pursued by a parade of alluring dark silhouettes. Like gleams of light shed onto the models, silver ornaments tie together the looks. This waltz rapidly escalates, dusk has passed, and there it is: the street lights switched on, they shine onto a purely white, coat like dress, we see a woman walking out for a long night, delicate but protected from the cold breeze.
The look is followed by a parade of dichromatic garments. The intentional choice of black and white forge the illusion of women parading under the nocturnal illumination of cityscapes. The enigmatic depths of the night are brought forth by the streetlights of a calm cinematic cityscape. Like halos of light, voluptuous white shapes escape out of the dark sleek silhouettes. A play of shadows and lights.
The breathtaking craftsmanship and meticulous detailing of the garments convey to us the genius artistic spirit of the designer and his team. From delicate drapings to a play on movement and texture with new innovative techniques, the creations elegantly balance between classic and modern silhouettes. Moreover, intricate work on embroidery, tailoring and other, emphasize flow awakening the creations to life.
Not to omit the gorgeous silver ornaments bedazzled in diamonds, sapphires and so on.
A magnificent array of looks scroll down the runway, leaving the public in awe.
As the night fades, the show ends in the ecclesiastical vision of an immaculate bride. Like a cocoon or flower bouquet, she is framed in an opulence of white organza petals. Stood there like a figure of innocence and purity, she then glides down the alley of elegant women dragging along the fog of a cold morning to come. It has been a tumultuous night in this busy city, dawn brought the bride to command us back home…
Stephane Rolland closes this cinematic chef d’oeuvre under the applause of the public. From scenery to storytelling and craftsmanship, his show was an uncontestable work of art, to be engraved in the history of this beautiful city, Paris.
Text and photos by Camille Blanchard with the help of Viktor Kozak
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