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The Jewish Chronicle

Bondage gets the glamour treatment

February 25, 2010 13:22
Futuristic and minimalist by Louise Goldin

ByJan Shure, Jan Shure

2 min read

It is a rare accomplishment when a designer produces a spectacular runway show that has the flash bulbs popping like strobes, while also creating clothes that real women will desperately covet. Nicole Farhi achieved just that on Monday with a near note-perfect autumn/winter 2010 collection, which dexterously merged a ladylike, polished sensibility with, ahem, bondage overtones. She did it by using staid tweed and camel and transforming them into something utterly fresh and deliciously subversive with lashings of shiny black PVC.

From the first piece, a short-sleeved, short jacket in gleaming PVC over a black wrap dress, to a series of slender, double-layer evening dresses of gossamer-fine tulle, she used layering, texture and fine cutting to deadly effect.

By adding a shiny black patent belt to an immaculately cut camel coat, Farhi transformed a garment which every woman knows rarely matches up to the hype into something genuinely flattering. PVC edging on a wrap camel coat achieved the same feat, while a curvy little camel jacket teamed with a sharp black PVC skirt gave the outfit a fresh, futuristic feel.

For other daywear pieces, she carved a perfect little on-the-knee skirt from caramel-colour wool or fine tweed, giving it clever little stand-up gathers at the waist; and she used red leather for a perfectly cut wrap skirt. She also turned nubbly black, red and white tweed into a mannish, on-the-knee overcoat, and a short, collarless jacket — both destined to become wardrobe classics.