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At Rabanne, Details Minus The Flash
By Timothy Hagy
Rosemary Rodrigues has now come full circle for Paco Rabanne, presenting a collection noteworthy for its subtlety rather than its flash. In a first rate show staged on Saturday, she blended exacting details with a heavy metal finish, but the resulting mix avoided the glare that has been nearly blinding in the past.
From the opening fur coats ringed with gold bands, to the little black dress with sterling fishnet thrown on top, it was clear that she'd found the way to draw from Rabanne's signature 60s style and to create a toned-down version more appropriate to where the world is now. Trenches and jackets were worked with ribs of glistening Lurex, while one dress was wrapped with a shiny corset-belt. There was even a frothing legerity to the metallic fringe used to decorate hemlines, and a feather weight fluff to the triangles sewn of black crêpe to form a jacket.
But the real beauty was in the evening - an exquisitely draped raspberry silk gown, or the pale silver-blue satin evening dress wrapped with oh so elegant a white ermine stole. Wait - is this Givenchy? Well, it could have passed for it, and hey, they're looking for a new designer.
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The soundtrack sang out "you shine like sunlight on the crystal snow", and the sentiment could also apply to the way Ms. Rodrigues used sparkle to highlight rather than obscure her creations. This was the finest work yet from the young designer, and though she only makes the briefest cameo appearance, still pushed onto the stage by the towering Paco Rabanne, you get the sense her time has come.
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