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French-born Stephan Janson spent several years in the U.S. before moving to Italy and setting up his atelier
in Milan.
Building an exclusive and very private clientele, his clothes were worn by the "in crowd." First,
it was just the fashion journalists who were curious about this "low profile" designer. Stephan
Janson was getting editorial from the press although he was not interested to mass market his designs during
that time!
If you're good, you're good and Stephan Janson found himself in the limelight by just creating stylish clothes
that both his clientele and the press adored.
A passionate designer, Stephan Janson's style is based on the "dress" and not the image of the
brand. Maybe that is the reason why he refused orders from retail buyers when they first knocked on his doors.
He wanted to stay true to his design philosophy.
But the call of the runways cannot be ignored. And once again, Stephan Janson found himself in the limelight,
this time in the runways of Milan. A great colorist and a technical master, Stephan Janson's creations are
avant-garde and classical at the same time.
//Boyd Davis
Spring 2002
Stephan Janson: Serene Salsa
By: Karin Nelson
Photos by: Gruber-FWD
Milan, Sep 29, 2001/ FWD/ --- The invitation for Stephan Janson's spring 2002 collection told guests to
"Relax." And from the smell of the aromatherapy candles burning in the tent Thursday night, as well as the
serene forest-photo backdrop and the sound of soft French music, it was hard to imagine the collection being
anything but easy, like Sunday morning.
That was until the music abruptly stopped, started up staccato-like with some salsa, only to swiftly turn
into bird noises, and what seemingly appeared on the first model to be a simple stretch twill skirt in khaki
turned out to be emblazoned with pink and green marker-drawn hearts and lips on the bum.
Obviously, what the invitation intended by its take-it-easy instruction was this: "Take all that you're about
to witness, with a grain of salt."
Such is Stephen Janson: A hybrid Frenchman, who dresses sophisticated women comfortably and sometimes a bit
cheekily. Easy looks like silk palazzo pants paired with silk ponchos in tutti-frutti mango and celadon
stripes breezed down the runway, only to be followed by raw raffia skirts held together solely by a safety-pin.
It is clothing fit for women who can define themselves only as ever-changing, as also evidenced by the girls.
One minute a model was cha-cha'ing down the runway in a sultry Grecian draped halter dress, while the next
was pairing a stare that could cut steel with a feather-trimmed strapless dress.
And, as is the case with such mood swings, the collection was both hit and miss. Soft and slouchy silk
chiffon wrap dresses in salmon was the epitome of Mediterranean glamour and ease, while a pair of ribbed
velour pajama pants looked straight out of Secaucus. No offense to you, Janson, neither to you, New Jersey.
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