Eastern Glances: Kenzo Spring 2011

I have been following Selyas' wonderful blog "Chaikhana" quita a long time. So as usual I hopped across her and was left breathless by these pictures - how could I not share that!
Company founder Kenzo Takada, a Japanese born designer, coined an ethno oriented look with flat patterns like those used for Kimonos. 2003 Sardinian Designer Antonio Marras took over, and the new collection shows a deep interest in rich oriental textiles and a completely non-western feminine ideal.

Multiple layered gowns in precious handpainted silks, damast and kelim recall carefully adorned brides, whose beauty shows rather in elegant postures than in a tight-fitting silhouette.



























Sophisticated constructions of cloth-adorned hats with tassels and fringes add a feeling of a crown and the whole impression is that of a cute doll. Turbans are knotted above a felt fez and Central Asian Suzani embroidery is combined with handwoven wool fabrics in earth tones.
I imagine those models walking majestically in their wonderful costumes, slowly, like silkworms in their multilayered coloured robes.



























For a completely different styling there are also artistically free form crocheted or lingerie inspired robes for fantasy or neo-Victorian princesses dressed in fancy treasures from an ancient dowry chest.
I'll come back often to contemplate those wonderful images dreaming of myself stitching and wearing such a dress... ;-)