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Ron Orb: 18th Century Fetish
By: Timothy Hagy
Photos by Javier Mateo
PARIS, Jul 3, 2002/ FW/ --- Ron Orb, is a young, good-looking designer with a real fetish
for the 18th century.
His luxurious invitations to the Paris show resembled a fine tapestry, and the same Flemish
pattern was reproduced in the form of a boarder for the catwalk.
As guests arrived, highly ornamented harpsichord music was playing, and the gentle tones of
the repetitive soundtrack evoked the music of Lully at the court of Louis XVI.
The moment the show began, a second mix of a more modern beat, was superimposed on the
delicate coulées.
The result was utter cacophony, which fell painfully on the ear.
The show began with pieces that recalled costumes of a courtly era, with peculiar, modern
alterations.
They were decorated in medallions, satin cords, tassels, and pom-poms.
High suede boots were worn with ankle breeches, which blossomed in regal fashion.
But the tour de force was a set of swimming trunks; one with tassels falling from behind,
and the other, in leather, which resembled a codpiece with a zipper.
I'm sorry, but I was trying to keep an open mind up until this point.
Then I had the sudden thought that the model, who was selected to wear this particular item,
bore the same expression that I once saw on the face of an aging greyhound being walked about
in a rain bonnet by his dowager mistress.
The cartoon-like picture of the dog is frozen in my memory, and if the poor animal had
been able to speak, he surely would have said, "Can you believe this?"
Youth is a wonderful thing, and Ron Orb has a long career stretching before him.
For the moment, perhaps he should step back into his lab and keep experimenting.
Time and talent are on his side; he just needs to keep searching for the magic formula.
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