Carven by Pascal Millet: Carven Goes Winter Chic
By Staff Writer
Photos by FW

PARIS, Jul 6, 2004/ FW/ -- Carven, one of France’s oldest couture houses still in operation presented its new Fall/Winter 2004 -2005 haute couture collection, signed by Pascal Millet. New York’s winter chic is its inspiration.

“For this collection, I’m working with lots of transparency and volume”, said Millet in an interview with Fashion Windows. “This collection has lots of cashmere, silk, embroideries and other unexpected materials treated in a very luxurious manner. The colours are essentially black with, of course, that special Carven green.”

The shoulders are the dominating code or leitmotif for this collection. They are treated like those in men’s suite making, but the suites remain very feminine. This year we are working exclusively with Saga Furs for the fur pieces.”

That volume of which Millet spoke was most apparent from the start of the show as the couturier sent out two grand dresses. The first was in black silk organza and black jersey with sequins. The second was in embroidered gazar and featured a cashmere bustier, also in black.

His suit jacket in striped black and purple wool, worn over an assorted bustier jumpsuit drew much applause from the journalists and Carven clientele. And his mink jacket in scarlet worn with an embroidered skirt and black cashmere pullover mesmerized all the ladies present.

Although Millet’s black coat and dress in cashmere reflect the designer’s innate talent and skill, it is Look N° 11 that incarnates the spirit that Millet has injected into the house. It is a black cashmere jacket worn with a high-waisted culottes skirt in black cashmere and a black turtleneck also in cashmere.

His long dress in re-embroidered chiffon with gold and silver sequins simple dazzles in the lights. It is a demonstration of how the designer infuses light into his work as a compliment to his couture.

Instead of a traditional wedding dress, Pascal Millet decided to flip the script a little. He sent out a beautiful wedding pullover in white cashmere with re-embroidered lace. It was worn with a chiffon skirt in rhinestones. He is obviously catering to the client that is too busy to be weighed down by the burdens that tradition imposes on such an important event.

On change and the difficult challenges that Carven has faced in recent months, Millet remains up beat, and rightfully so.

“This is a very personal collection for me and for everyone in the studio”, says Pascal Millet of his Fall/Winter 2004 -2005 haute couture collection.

“As everyone knows, we, as a couture house, are facing some difficult changes at this moment. However, this is good because it means in the end that there will be a new beginning for us all. And in spite of everything, we have honoured all of our commitments and obligations. We are looking for solutions and something big is in the air!”

And in a moment of humour, Pascal confessed that he is not very big on cell. “If I could, I’d use carrier pigeons.” That is in direct reference to the telephone tag game that Pascal and I played in trying to get our mutual schedules together for the interviews.

Not one to waste time, Carven is on the move with this coquettish collection and already has numerous invitations to show it around the world. It will make an appearance in Japan in celebration of the 150-year anniversary of the Mitsukoshi department store.

“Japan is interesting for us at this time. We are now working with our first Japanese clients. It is a new notion of luxury for Japan, which doesn’t have a culture of buying haute couture.”

In addition, the collection will be shown in New York City in September, in Tokyo in October and in Kazakhstan in November.

Carven by Pascal Millet

Carven by Pascal Millet

Carven by Pascal Millet

Carven by Pascal Millet

Carven by Pascal Millet