PARIS, Mar 3, 2007/ FW/ --- To a soundtrack that was a mixture of Hollywood in the fifties’ violins and contemporary vibes, Junko Shimada sent on the runway yesterday 45 femmes fatales presenting her fall 2007 collection.

Her obvious inspiration, based on the Hollywood classic divas, was cleverly interpreted for the elegant lady of the 21st century, using a tentative but wise mixture of materials composed on nearly every look. Resolutely elegant with a well-thought touch of originality, delicately structured and nevertheless softly comfortable, hyper-feminine and yet vigorously stylish, the collection is aimed to be a hit among today’s counterparts of Veronica Lake and Ava Gardner.

Take the sheer trench-coat of caramel leather, with its wide collar to highlight the thin silhouette, chose the magical black dress which seemed like an appliqué on the body wrapped in a layer of light tulle embroidered with white polka dots, pick the knitted dress with jacquard classic matte patterns geometrically embellishing a shiny gold knit base: they are all referenced with an undeniable touch of creativity.

Junko Shimada’s most wonderful dresses for Fall 2007 might insinuate a tribute to anatomic inlays in the Mugler tradition, they are using a colour selection in shades of pink or black soft crepe and shimmering satin more familiar to Gaultier’s palette, and renew the genre, treating it in a more comfortable manner which make them undeniably Junko Shimada. Just like the so chic long black jacket, so reminiscent of Yes Saint Laurent haute couture tuxedos, but with a more modern edge.

Girls will love wrapping themselves in the Japanese designer’s long jumper dresses for the season. Worn over one shoulder only when they display the oversized collar of a polo-neck, or to a more architectured long piece in mohair with strategic harlequin jacquard for one-piece total looks, the range of knitwear tops can also easily be paired to an original golden pencil skirt for a stunning allure.

Cashmere enlarged prints on dresses, blouses and skirts mingle with monochrome pieces entirely made of tight and short flounces or impressive feathers of… turkey! Lamb short fur is used in white to reinterpret a city coat, a blouson jacket, a fifties’ dufflecoat.

A standout in the collection was certainly a sleeveless white blouse with tight necklace-like collar with a perpendicular flounce cut in bias on each side. It sums up the target of the collection: an international elegant woman who has a taste for couture materials and finishings, priced on the justified luxury end of the designers’ ready-to-wear range.

Although the accessories seen on the runway (Japanese inspired and not-so-stable shapes for shoes sometimes adorned with 3D birds; cube-like handbags of fur with golden chains) might be fit only for the red carpet, the collection of clothes proposed by Junko Shimada ranks among the most likely to make the catwalk and the sidewalk connect next fall.

Junko Shimada

Junko Shimada

Junko Shimada

Junko Shimada