The magic of Carmen Dell\'Orefice

Stéphane Rolland Autumn/Winter \'11-\'12 collection The legendary supermodel Carmen Dell\'Orefice, who recently celebrated her eightieth birthday, was muse to Stéphane Rolland for his Autumn/Winter \'11-\'12 collection that was shown in Paris last Tuesday 5th July.
\"what inspired was the muse, a woman, an alluring  attitude , a formidable  presence, that of the great Carmen Dell?\'Orefice. She is stauesque, and appears as a long and mysterious figure, just like a stroke of black ink topped with a white cloud.\" Stéphane Rolland
The strength and subtlety of a sketch come from the stroke. This season, Stéphane Rolland\'s inspiration originates from Caoshu, a style of Chinese ancestral calligraphy said to be \"en herbes\", flowing like wild grass. A continuous ink line with multiple densities evokes British illustrator David Downton\'s striking portraits. It morphs into satin braidings and new origami folds in gazar and black organza, laid on bodies sheathed with jersey as a second skin. The figure is long and slender, juxtaposed with generous looping trousers and sleeves. Floating draped fabrics are a reference to Hanfu, the forerunner to the Kimono. Ink drips along the back. The mist of the Guilin Mountains is depicted – painted – on the lower part of dresses and some lapels are adorned with lacquered chopsticks. Black and white, plum, or imperial green harmonies are punctuated with acid bursts in magenta and solar yellow. Thin body-cladding comes in jersey, to which gazar adds dimension, whilst silk satin and paper-thin gauze give a vaporous breath. The ornaments, whether plastrons or belts, are all authentic sculptures. Brushed steel tubes and scales, scratched with pyrites and crystal, resonate with thoughts of Maria Pergay?s designs.
Arriving at Théâtre National de Chaillot for the show, the octogenarian model caused a media frenzy, and added dignified glamour to a front row that included celebrated actress/director Nadine Labaki, socialite-of-the-moment Olivia Palermo, and fashion artist David Downton (whose drawings also inspired the collection).