SMASHBOX
THE NEW AS FOUR-AS FOUR AZTEC
By Sedef Kokcuoglu
Photographs by Roger Mesquita
As Four's brilliant quartet; Adi, Ange, K.A.i. and Gabi were inspired by "the power of the sun, the transparency of love, the pride of beauty and the construction a new way of living lightness" when spawning their 2004 Spring Collection. Their innovative creations were uniquely distinct with dazzlingly three dimensional textures, explosively colorful fabrics, mystically flavorful oriental themes and revolutionarily futuristic looks. As Four's collection, saturated with the golden shimmer of defiant radiance, displayed a mature sophistication as well as an inimitable sense of style, reminiscent of Galliano's early days.
Backstage the irresistibly compassionate Gabi dressed in a pair of citrus leopard print pants and an exquisitely embroidered shirt told Fashionlines that with this collection the New As Four wanted to communicate the following messages:
One: Lightness of being.
Two: Openness.
Three: Everybody Welcome
Four: The Future Planet of Style.
Ange on the other hand advised our readers to "see the work and decide for themselves." Finally K.A.i (who arrived on the scene sporting electric pink trousers and a contagious smile) explained, "Our work is the reflection of beauty." Then he added "This is all about warmth, confidence, comfort, floatiness, lightness and brightness-- like a summer breeze in a new kind of way."
The new As Four refuses to be imprisoned within the confines of cut and construction. Hence the designers choose to compose clothes that defy the conventional and embrace the extraordinary. Intricately sheered pants that give the optical illusion of a long piece of stiff fabric swirling up and around the length of the legs, purple silk kaftan and shalvar (harem-pant) ensembles created out of cascading fabrics evocative of fruit peels and stretchy metallic body stockings elaborately zipped shut to cover the entire body reminiscent of Autumn 2003 Gaultier Couture -- were erudite feats of engineering. Gold and the power of the sun were the central themes around which the New As Four Spring 2004 collection came to being. Fashionlines was under the impression that the beaming body of work being shown paid homage to sun worshipping Azecs.
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