PARIS, Jul 3, 2002/ FW/ --- The gardens of the Hôtel Salomon de Rotschild was the setting for the Masatomo show, where white Pagoda umbrellas were set up beneath ancient chestnut trees.

From the start, the skies looked threatening, and with a strong breeze picking up, one wondered if it might not be a better idea to skip the show and head across the street to L'Angle du Faubourg, one of Paris' popular new restaurants opened by Jean Claude Vrinat of Taillevent.

As if to reinforce the same idea, the soundtrack began with music emulating falling rain, and then the lyrics, "the two of us were wearing raincoats", a subliminal message it would have been better to avoid.

The show opened with a series of black suits worn with great hats, and floating in the wind.

A female model joined the men, and eventually there were some cool pastels, and a interesting lime and rose pinstripe that found it's way onto trousers and jackets.

Then came shirts with a two-toned sheen.

What was most interesting about the collection was the use of innovative fabrics in a variety of light, wispy textures.

Just as the music wound up to "strawberry fields forever", the cold rain began to fall.

The need to scramble for umbrellas cut short the applause.

Masatomo

Masatomo

Masatomo