JEWELS BY CHRISTINE


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THIS MONTH:
PARIS Spring 2004







Since Roberto Cavalli showed his first collection in 1972 in the historic White Room of Palazzo Pitti in Florence, he has proven himself as a boundless explorer in constant pursuit of the luscious and the passionate. Over the years Cavalli's incredible gift for translating his inimitable eccentricity and artistic talents into dizzyingly sexy and undeniably raunchy clothes has earned him a cult following. However, even icons have idols, and this year Roberto Cavalli picked Cher as the goddess muse for his Spring collection.

"The woman needs to go out of her boundaries, discover fantasy and overcome anchored taboos" Cavalli once exclaimed. Who better represents this ideal of intense individuality than the beloved diva? Focusing on Cher's image (particularly her style during the seventies), Cavalli created a look of stunning fierceness. Little hourglass dresses adorned with crystals, sparkles and guinea fowl feathers, painted-on-tight leather pants, python jackets, mini fur boleros, midriff-bearing long sweeping gowns and many other such ensembles set Milan afire on October 4th.

A leggy gold, brown and cream corseted dress embellished with strings of crystal beads looked just right for the unashamedly sinful creatures among us. Similarly a black leather skin-tight dress made of cutout diamonds pieced together with rhinestones, and finished off with puffy tulle and feathers oozed with the venom of sex kitten power. Cavalli's spring look is certainly not for the timid. A black molded Lycra one piece swimsuit (the sides and midriff slashed out), fastened around the neck with two crossed straps, worn with a cascading fur coat, a white cowboy hat and a pair of strappy stilettos was a bold statement that only a very outrageous person could pull off.

Overall, Cavalli's creations are not inherently sophisticated or particularly classy, but they are indeed sensational-just right for making a memorable entrance.

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