It was Occident meets Orient at Thakoon this season, which was one of the true standout shows of NYFW. Resplendent, stunning and breathtaking are all words that can be used to describe the collection, where sari-clad girls shared the runway with ten gallon hats-the textiles in and of themselves were a triumph. In fact, the production in general, from the exquisite curation of the incense-perfumed atmosphere down to the most minute beadwork adorning a jacket or dress, it was a true feast for all five senses.
The vibe was a kind of Western meets Indian (no, not that kind!), evolving from the Versailles cum Massai theme from last season, the conflation of archetypes Eastern and Western expertly executed informs Thakoon's unique point of view. It was as if Thakoon were imaging that Christopher Colombus had in fact made it to India proper, rather than the hunk of rock we call home (aka the New World), and Western colonization, cowboys and all, had unfolded on the Eastern side of Gibraltar.
The first girl appeared, her cowboy hat silhouetted against the warm lighting of the luxe Plaza Hotel venue, wearing an embroidered turquoise jacket with marigold paisley overlaying a gathered leather mini skirt, the exercise in homegrown exotic sumptuousness had begun.
One by one, the girls, their hair powdered in pastel colors (lavendar, pink, blue), alternating looks that leaned more towards the Occident and then back to the Orient again, a sartorial symphony, luxurious garments with serious multicultural nods, from the rich Indian silk fabric choices and gold seams to pops of turquoise, jade and safron, as Thakoon aptly picked up on, the color palettes for these two aesthetics, are, for all the differences between the cultures, the same.
The talismans of both cultures were reworked in quirky, modern and wearably editorial ways: for instance, the cowboy's denim shirt patchworked with paisley brocade or the sari, rendered in a metallic pleat, hacked off from the knees down to become a flirty mini dress perfect for flitting from exotic soiree to soiree.
Embellishment was abundant, but beautifully executed, with the precision and detail of period film or even opera costumes, such as crystal embroidery adorning a "drill duster" coat layered over a silk gold floor length skirt. But despite the rich and authentic multiculturalism of the fabrics, the cuts of the garments, from cropped trousers to dropped waists and fine pleating, kept things feeling contemporary, modern and downright innovative. If it were up to me, I'd rewrite history according to Thakoon, forget how the West was won and play a whole new game of fashion cowboys and Indians...
0 Whisper-backs:
Post a Comment