Birds of Paradise fanning otherworldly plumage, National Geographic covers of
ancient trees scraping azure skies, thousands of butteries taking ight – this season
the Amazon Rainforest lines the walls of the London atelier where the couture
collection is crafted by hand.
This landscape of natural wonders can be seen in look 12 as dazzling morning light –
handled in a ne mesh of crystals – breaks the rainforest’s canopy of emerald green
double-satin. Or in look 3, an invisible tulle dress with contoured corset and full,
meandering hips. It’s hand embroidered with crystal tassels that ow from clavicle to
oor, cutting through silhouette as rivers do the land, carving dense terrain with
watery ribbons.
Flow and restraint. Light and dark. Flora and fauna. In exploring the Amazon’s
dualities, the tiniest inuences are as essential as the grandest. That’s why look 13
celebrates the humble spider’s web (the rainforest is home to about 3,6000 species).
Here, irregular gossamer strands handspun from crystal xilions trace a tonal bodysuit.
While look 4 captures the uttering blues of the morpho buttery. Intricate
threadwork – taking the embroidery artisans 400 hours – and artful draping recall its
hypnotic wings.
Entering such a mythical garden of paradise is the gesture behind the collection’s nal
look. Biot feathers and hand-embroideries fall as a double duchesse satin wedding
gown cascades into owing silk chion – purity, lightness, fragility.