Paris Fashion Week
cctv.com 01-27-2006 09:22
Designers Elie Saab and Franck Sorbier unveiled their haute couture collections on Wednesday at Paris Fashion Week. Saab takes his inspiration from the stars of the 50s, while Sorbier looks to nature.
Elie Saab winks at 50鈥檚 glamour
The show was full of premiere-perfect creations. Models appeared in flouncy dresses that seemed to be held in place with simple silk bows.
Elie Saab said: "This time, I chose for my inspiration Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy because in this period of time the women were like... too much woman... elegant... belt, gloves, bag. They were like dolls at this time. This is why I like this period."
Known for combining Middle Eastern and European styling, Saab's designs are popular with Hollywood stars such as Halle Berry and Mary J. Blige.
In 1982, while still a teenager, Saab opened his first atelier in Beirut under his own name. It was just the beginning for the talented designer. During the 80s his reputation spread across the Middle East and royalty would travel to Beirut for his evening and wedding gowns. Since 1997, Saab has been putting on a runway show in Paris and Milan and his clothes are now sold around the globe.
Franck Sorbier goes green
Elegant dresses came adorned with fake flowers or in leaf-print graphics. The colors were evocative of nature, too -- with browns and greens on some outfits, and bright reds on others. Not even the collection's bridal dress strayed from the plant theme.
Franck Sorbier said: "All the names of the dresses are - for example vertigo, voluptuous, fantastic, fragile, divine, immaculate - for the bride. There's the idea of a woman with a strong personality."
Sorbier said his inspiration came from an old Stevie Wonder album called "The Secret Life of Plants". He thought the title and concept were beautiful because people rarely concern themselves with plants. He borrowed one of the last sentences of Voltaire's book "Candide" -- "We should tend to our garden" -- to use as the name for his collection.
Editor:Wang Ping Source:CCTV.com
