Raf Simons has always been one of my favourite designers, and without a doubt, his creations had deeply caught my attention. A blue and pink beaded, mid-calf length dress from Raf’s autumn/ fall 2012 Haute Couture collection was featured in the artificial floral section of the Manus X Machina exhibition. This dress is constructed using two contrasting colours of fabrics: baby blue and blush pink. An intricate floral pattern is beaded on top using different shades of blue, green, pearl white and pink glass and bugle beads. The back of the dress is covered with embroidered gold leaves . Pink flower pedals are also attached to the back of the dress to increase texture and dimension. Raf Simons is a Belgian born designer who began as a furniture designer. In 1991, he saw his first fashion show by Martin Margiela which inspired him to become a fashion designer. In April 2012, when he was announced as the new Creative director at Christian Dior, the fashion world was shocked with this bold decision. Raf admitted himself, he did not have much experience in designing women’s wear and not to mention the lack of experience he had with haute couture. However, his first spring/ summer couture collection in 2012 had astonished the fashion industry. His design have clean and sharp silhouettes yet there is still a feminine touch. He is incredible talented at incorporating different patterns and textures. Raf’s execution brings in a new taste and perspective without over-crowding the view. In his designs, the elegance of simplicity is emphasized. I completely fell in love with the colours and beading texture of the dress. As I walked closer to the dress, I felt a sense of impulse – I wanted to feel the weight of the dress, the delicacy of the fabric and mostly, the complex floral-motif beading and embroidery. I imagined the way the dress hugs the body and the movement it has down the runway. The dress is rich in colours, textures, shapes and form, nevertheless, the components all harmonize with one another. Everything was done in perfection.
“ We talked about the hand in haute couture as if its an abstract concept, but those hands belong to particular women, who have very specific skills, specific taste, specific personalities, which all come through in their handwork…It’s like writing a song. You write a song, but the singer changes it through his or her own voice, through his or her own interpretation. For us, our premieres are our interpreters.”
-Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpalol Piccioli
It occurred to me that designers are the thinker. We generate ideas and possibilities. Seamstress are the executors. They bring abstractions to life. They are also the most creative group of people in the world. With their minds and hands, they are able to transform lines and colours into a three dimension object. Through experiments and and experience, they finish breath-taking pieces all by their own hands and nothing else. They capability to cope with pressure and failure also made a deep impression on me. Now, I am even more mindful of the importance of seamstress and the contribution they bring each and every beautiful design.
