Ulyana Sergeenko Paris SS 2013
Ulyana Sergeenko pulled out the heavy artillery with her latest Spring/Summer showcase at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. Western movies’ inspired muses strolled down the runway in the most luxurious garments the wild, wild West has ever seen. Inspired by the alluring movies of the 20’s, the chivalry of the values and virtues promoted at the time, the gold fever, the ever present bouffant dresses and bonnets, the artist set out to reinterpret the beloved, brave characters of our childhood, in an idealized way. Pushing the boundaries of Western movies’ stereotypes and the sartorial construction of the costumes, Ulyana tailored a magnificent, sensuous cowboy fairy tale for her audience.
The story behind the collection centered on the romantic side of the movies, giving life to wondrous heroines, mischievous spies and trustworthy, courageous maids. A delicate collection in pastel and cream portrayed an array of intriguing, feminine and delicate damsels, but not so much in distress, as in love and lust with superb fabrics and crinoline.
The showcase brought to life an ample gamut of characters seen in a typical Western movie- from the glowing starlets, to the audacious bartenders- that Ulyana wittily invested with just the right mix of sexy and prude. The textures chosen, the delicacy of the materials, the transparencies and the lace adornments gave an overall feel of purity and elegance. Whereas, the daring, bold cuts embellishing the bare chests and shoulders, infinitely-long legs and hypnotic hourglasses, freshened up our dusty memoirs of rugged heroines. Elongated silhouettes, teeny tiny waists and beautifully contoured collar bones, underlined the femininity of the entire collection.
The maxi dresses conferred a deeply royal, lady-like appeal to some of the characters, while others balanced out the show through their cheeky, provocative hot pants and ultra miniskirts. Hats and bonnets rounded up all the ensembles, and golden embroideries, silk shawls, chic chignons and perfect cat-eyes added the final touch to each outfit, exuding richness and mystery.
