PARIS, Oct 8, 2005/ FW/ --- Inspired by a song by Serge Gainsbourg about a Rolls Royce, Barbara Bui went for a metallic summer with a touch romance that the ‘Silver Ghost’ evokes.

Choosing a car as muse might be out of the ordinary, but Barbara Bui did it with aplomb, the opening ensemble – a layered skirt in silvery gold, paired with a deep V-neck loose fitting blouse then finished off with a silvery gold trench embellished with rivets and semi-precious stones said it all.

It’s streetwise and eye-catching, with a touch of rebelliousness and the most important thing – it will sell.

What followed are commercially viable silhouettes of shorts & tuxedo jackets set, strapless sundresses accented with a belt, one-shouldered cocktail dresses that were cleverly cut just below the waist for ease of movement, off-the shoulder blouses with oversized puff-sleeves and sleeveless tunics embroidered on the edges and hems.

Breaking new grounds in fashion, Barbara Bui opted for ‘quilted’ hems for dresses, trousers and shorts, giving them very finished and tailored looks without making them look heavy or cumbersome.

In fact, the whole collection had a very light feeling to it, though not floaty. While other designers this season chose to ‘soften’ silhouettes, Bui did the exact opposite. Designing a romantic collection with sheering and layering, she added the quilted hems to give it a ‘hard edge’!

It was a tight and focused collection, Barbara Bui not losing sight of her theme all throughout. And that focus is the reason why she is fast becoming a rising star in the Paris fashion scene.

The proof: at Galleries Lafayette, one of the most influential and trend-setting stores in France, Barbara Bui has a big space in the designer’s clothes section of its flagship store in the middle of Paris.

Barbara Bui

Barbara Bui

Barbara Bui

Barbara Bui