Cacharel: Alice's Adventures in 21st Century Wonderland
By Mari Davis
(Photo by Javier Mateo)
PARIS, Oct 11, 2003/ FW/ --- When Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, writing under the pseudonym Lewis Caroll, wrote the book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for Alice Pleasance Liddell in 1864, he did not have an idea that his story would be the most frequently quoted book after the Bible and Shakespeare during the 20th century.
Chances are, Dodgson did not even dream that his book would inspire movies, cartoons, a whole plethora of merchandising items, and a fashion show to boot.
If he is alive today, chances are Dodgson will be sitting front row at Cacharel’s Spring / Summer 2004 show at the Salle Le Notre at Le Carrousel du Louvre, enjoying Clements Ribiero’s extrapolation of his tale for the 21st century.
The original tale was set during the Victorian area, told in a boat trip where Dodgson and young Alice, together with her father and two sisters participated.
According to Clements Ribeiro, Alice had become ‘very city type,’ and the rabbit hole has become the Eurotunnel, in the 21st century.
Husband and wife design team Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro designed garments for the heroine, who experiences her adventures between Paris and London.
Stage background was the 21st century interpretation the magic garden by Celia Britwell, which also found itself in the prints of the fabrics used in the construction of the garments.
The music was modern romantic, almost dreamy. And the models became Alice in shorts, shirtdresses, Capri-length trousers, wide-legged cargo pants and short-cropped jackets.
The Cheshire cat was found in the shirts, and the rabbit popped into tee shirts.
The 21st Century Alice is not shy. Like her Victorian counterpart, Alice today is ready to face new adventures everyday.
She wears utilitarian fatigues in the very first Cacharel Liberty prints. She loves fade printed flowers and washed leather.
She can also be very impertinent and outgoing, wearing bikini tops with above the knee flowing skirts, off-the-shoulder blouses and sleeveless boiler suits.
She can also be the epitome of decorum, with her long-sleeved tea dresses, pastel colored coats and Victorian-inspired blouses with high-neck collars.
Alice might have become citified in Clements Ribeiro’s interpretation. But as the show note stated, she can still bring us from ‘dream to reality.
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