PARIS, Jan 27, 2005/ FW/ – With over 40 years in the fashion industry ‘rose Yumi’ is still in love with the simplest, yet most complex and misunderstood of all things: Nature.

The rose and the color blue are her passion, trademark and desire, and it to this she dedicates her Haute Couture spring summer 2005 collection.

‘The color blue that she adores, it is everywhere, the sky, the sea and in the eyes we cannot avoid. All the elegant blues, romantic blues are precious.’

In the elegant surroundings of the Imperial ballroom of the Inter-Continental of Paris, with its large imposing chandelier and alfresco ceilings, Yumi Katsura turns paper, silk and fabric delicacies into ‘pieces of art’. Living and moving, they are worn and given a human form just as fragile yet determined as those who carry them.

Distinct, individual and unique, this collection is made of Katsura essence. She employs the oriental traditions of washi (traditional handmade papers from Japan) with exceptional Parisian Couturier knowledge, making her style distinct and instantly recognizable.

From the evening gown in blue tulle, veiled with blue lace and embroided with silk threads and strass to the beach ensemble of big washi flowers worn with a blue poncho of muslin and washi flowers, or even the traditional male kimono, Yumi Katsura is a master of research and experimentation.

Paper glowing gowns depict peaceful dreamtime horizons and glow in the dark. Yumi Katsura captures imagination and thrives in creativity without ever forgetting the importance of tradition by finding the right mix of technology and the importance of ancient knowledge.