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Roland Mouret: Hot Yet Haughty
By: Godfrey Deeny
Photos by Gruber-FWD
London, Sep 19, 2001/ FWD/ --- After a decade of British talent deserting the U.K. for the Paris catwalks or mega luxury contracts, it
was refreshing to see a brilliant collection by France’s Roland Mouret in London.
Using the classic criteria for judging a designer’s talent – cut and silhouette – this collection confirmed
Roland as a major talent with an assured future.
Mouret, who hails from the holy city of Lourdes but lives in London, is unabashedly French. His Spring/Summer
2002 collection was presented in a former consulate in Knightsbridge, whose interiors uncannily resembled
the seventh arrondissement, his models oozed chic, and his soundtrack even came with accordion music straight
out of a French bistro.
Mouret’s look manages to be simultaneously hot yet haughty. His woman is steamy, though never less than
a lady.
His opening outfits were all killers: a slick, handkerchief-hem black cocktail with white slip showing
underneath, a barely-there gown held up by one tiny strap, and a white, scalloped waiter’s jacket worn over
black military pants with a broad white side stripe.
Other standouts included a group of mannish, double-breasted suits with side vents and flared pants that
were the epitome of understated style, a curvy cocktail dress in a multi-web fabric, and long black column
dress with a heroic wide belt proudly bearing the RM initials.
"Wasn’t it divine," cooed Joan Burstein, owner of London’s most influential store Browns.
There were a few duff notes, and the show ended in a slight panic when a Mylar suddenly began to peel off a
huge ceiling mirror, causing jittering stylists to scurry out of the room. But all told, the show was a major
triumph.
Mouret’s accessories were also inventive, especially the slinky gloves with gold and ruby check uppers and
stiletto-heeled pumps slashed with color. Roland also adorned his models with authentic diamond pins,
earrings, chains and pendants from Oryx, one of the show’s sponsors.
The designer did cause a slight ethical dilemma for some journalists by enclosing some uncut diamonds in
his invitation – good news for several of the chauffeurs provided by London Fashion Week.
"I was thinking of Paris," Mouret told FWD after the show. Word to the wise: hip Londoners should catch
this talent while he still shows in Merry England. Spokesmen for Mouret explained that the designer plans
to show in Paris next year, maybe as soon as next March.
England’s loss will definitely be France’s gain.
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