FRANCE TURNS SPOTLIGHT ON KOREAN CULTURE AND ART

Fans of Korean culture are enjoying a bounty of art shows and other events across France as the Asian country takes centre stage during the “2015-2016 France-Korea Year”.

The festivities started in September, when Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn made an official visit to France, and they will continue until next August. Events include art exhibitions, film retrospectives, culinary demonstrations, concerts and conferences, all in celebration of the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

A section of the "KOREA NOW!" exhibition.

According to the French government, the France-Korea Year reflects the nations' joint determination to “strengthen relations in all areas”. It will also highlight “innovation" in different sectors.

A key event is the exhibition titled “KOREA NOW! Design, craft, fashion and graphic art in Korea”, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum), located in a wing of the Palais du Louvre in Paris.

Comprising some 700 objects by 150 artists, artisans and designers, the show aims to introduce viewers to Korea’s “formidable artistic patrimony”, as the curators put it. The exhibition is striking for the clean, modern lines of the items on display, whether pottery, furniture or clothing.

Other exhibitions include a look at five centuries of painting in Korea, with the “Tigres de papier,” show at the Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet, also in Paris, and various contemporary art offerings.

The eastern town Dijon (famous for its mustard) will host the show “Lee Ungno & Han Mook : Two Modernist Korean Painters in Paris”. This exhibition, which runs from Oct. 30 to Jan. 30, 2016, looks at the work of two artists who were among the first Korean modernists. Both left their homeland for “artistic exile” in Paris - the city of their dreams - after the Korean War and the partition of their country.

A Korean cook gives a demonstration in Paris.

In St. Etienne, meanwhile, photographer Bae Bien-U will be the guest of honour with his iconic pictures that show Nature somehow suspended, through an ethereal portrayal of volcanoes, rivers, forests and windblown trees.

On the culinary art front, Korean chefs will be giving a twist to nouvelle cuisine in restaurants and cooking schools across France.

Earlier this month, for instance, the famous Ferrandi School in Paris hosted a memorable four-hour dinner that could only be described as a gastronomic "dialogue" between France and Korea: each course contained a mouth-watering specialty from both countries that had diners expressing sounds of delights - in a variety of languages. - Tasshon

Some of the ingredients in Korean cuisine.

PARIS FASHION WEEK: ALL SUNSHINE AND SUSTAINABILITY?

Shiatzy Chen

The sunshine came mostly from the clothes at Paris Fashion Week (Sept. 29 – Oct. 7), as several designers opted for dazzling golden hues in their collections, while the rain pelted down outside.

Shiatzy Chen: blazing gold.

Taiwanese designer Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia, aka Shiatzy Chen, got the mood right as usual, and her artistic views for Spring/Summer 2016 lifted the spirits of those who had come in from the chilly October showers.

With multi-layered styles, floral patterns, a range of different materials and “retro contour and cutting”, Chen showed that for her art is paramount in fashion, as she has told Tasshon previously.

The palette of gold, yellow, satiny orange and other tones were a visual feast at the imposing Grand Palais building, in true Chen tradition. Meanwhile, the collection comprised both maxi and short dresses, as well as easy-to-wear loose pants and swirly skirts. For a more formal look, the designer incorporated her celebrated embroidery designs on a variety of jackets.

Her use of a technique combining printing with embroidered lace and “light imitation silk” equally enhanced the clothing, which was paired with striking footwear: 1970s-style sandals with block heels, embroidered boat shoes and Mary Jane pumps.

By the time the show was over, one had forgotten about the rain.

Rahul Mishra

Indian designer Rahul Mishra also evoked sunshine this season, and he gave fair warning by quoting Persian poet Hafiz in the introduction to his Spring/Summer collection: “Even after all this time, the Sun never says to the Earth ‘You Owe Me’. Look what happens with a love like that. It lights up the whole sky.”

Designer Rahul Misra.

Mishra’s collection certainly lit up the already sumptuous rooms of the Mona Bismarck Centre, located by the river Seine. Shown a few days before Chen’s collection, his use of yellow, ivory and other colours conveyed a mixture of cool warmth; “cool” in the sense of effortless elegance, and warmth in the sense of “supreme wearability”.

Mishra, 35 years old, is the new kid on the block at Paris Fashion Week, showing for just a third season. But he’s set to make his mark, judging by the enthusiastic reaction to his collection. After the show, a spectator rushed up to hug him, saying, “I just wanted to tell you how great it is to see truly beautiful clothing”.

Rahul Mishra: hints of the sun.

The designer, who won the 2014 International Woolmark Prize at Milan Fashion Week, beamed in response. With his engaging smile and down-to-earth aura, Mishra seems to embody what many now want in fashion: skill and substance.

The designer told Tasshon that for him fashion is about simplicity and elegance, but that it’s likewise about sustainability. “Fashion for me is about employing people,” he said, describing how he sources his materials from artisans in India.

He expands on this theme in his official communiqués: "My idea is to create new jobs which help (people) in their own villages - I take work to them rather than calling them to work for me. If villages are stronger you will have a stronger country, a stronger nation, a stronger world,” he says.

“So my entire idea, my entire philosophy, revolves around that. The product will go through evolution - it will change, it will improve - but a philosophy is what is constant."

Allude

For German designer Andrea Karg, founder of the Allude brand, sustainability is equally a philosophy, and she highlighted this in her Spring/Summer 2016 collection titled “The Rise of Imperfection”.

According to Karg, the world should stop racing after perfection, which is never lasting. “We need to leave room for personality, for sustainability,” she told Tasshon.

Andrea Karg, founder of Allude.

“Nowadays people have got used to buying and throwing away. That’s not my style, not my cup of tea,” she added.

Long crowned the “Queen of Cashmere”, the designer has launched a “cashmere clinic” in Munich, where people can take their worn clothing to be repaired rather than throwing “old” items out.

“Cashmere is a sustainable material and we want to emphasize that,” she said.

In Paris, Karg once more showed the versatility of her chosen material, combining it with cotton, silk and normal wool for a memorable collection.

Textured cashmere skirts and dresses, mixed with cotton yarn and luminous silk, induced images of fresh spring evenings and relaxed beach outings.

At the end of the show, all the models stood together in Karg’s designs, as if at some mass protest for good taste. The overall impression was one of militant chic-ness and absolute artistry. - J.M. De Clercq & L. McKenzie

Allude

FASHION WEEK: DESIGNER MIMI PLANGE RIDES INTO MILAN

Okay, Mimi Plange didn’t actually ride a bike to Milan, not even a Vespa, but the Ghanaian-born American designer did travel to the Italian city for Fashion Week (Sept. 23 - 28) and did launch a very stylish Fixie bicycle for the fifth anniversary of her eponymous brand this year.

Mimi Plange (Photo: GL Wood)

Plange journeyed to Milan to participate in the “Beat of Africa”, a showcase of designs by four acclaimed African stylists. She joined fellow designers MaXhosa by Laduma, Sindiso Khumalo and Sophie Zinga, who all featured looks from their Spring/Summer 2016 collections at the iconic Milanese store Buffi Boutique. The stylists also created a special gift item sold during Vogue Fashion’s “Night Out”, which launched the event.

Their looks have been on display at Biffi Boutique during the week for the shoppers on Corso Genova and for the fashion crowd to see.

Taking place for the third consecutive year, the "Beat of Africa" was organized by both Biffi Boutique and by the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI), a flagship programme of the International Trade Centre, which is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

Simone Cipriani (Photo: McKenzie)

The EFI normally focuses on linking the world’s top fashion talents to marginalised artisans – mostly women – in East and West Africa, Haiti and the West Bank. But now it has expanded its range to include select African designers, who are being given support to reach a wider clientele.

The organization says its aim is to fully “enable Africa’s rising generation of fashion talent to forge environmentally sound, sustainable and fulfilling creative collaborations with local artisans.”

“There is a huge buzz around African fashion but scarce opportunities for real trade,” said Simone Cipriani, the director of EFI. “[We are] working on this and are soon launching a new mentoring scheme to enable designers to work alongside investors and business partners. This is a key component to grow and bring more work to Africa.”

Plange at her Biffi window.

For Plange, who’s based in New York, the ethical fashion movement is important for producing jobs as this can help countries to reduce poverty.

“It may not be how everyone sees things developing, but we have to start somewhere,” she said, adding that she is now sourcing products in Ethiopia for her brand’s handbags, and that she is “looking more” to Africa for fabrics.

Plange said that she considers herself an American designer because she lives and works in the United States, but she emphasizes that she is Ghana-born and inspired by African culture and lost African civilizations. “Our world is so global now, and there are so many channels to tell your story that there is no reason to limit ourselves with our creativity,” she said.

The designer started her luxury ready-to-wear brand in 2010, and since then has won several awards, including Designer of the Year, from Africa Fashion International and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Africa.

First Lady Michelle Obama, in Mimi Plange skirt. 

U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama wore one of her designs for an appearance on the television programme “The View”, and Plange was invited to the White House in 2014 for the first Celebration of Design reception.

“It was like an out-of-body experience, like a dream,” she recalls. “I don’t think there has been a first lady who has highlighted designers so much.”

Her products have been worn, too, by businesswomen and celebrities, with clients including Rihanna, Janelle Monae, Vanessa Hudgens, Estelle and Serena Williams.

Plange and the other designers in the “Beat of Africa” programme have received a great deal of support from the Italian fashion industry, according to the EFI.  For instance, South African knitwear brand MaXhosa by Laduma participated earlier this year in Pitti Immagine Uomo, one of the world’s largest menswear fairs, held in the Tuscan capital Florence.

MaXhosa by Laduma, at Pitti Immagine Uomo.

MaXhosa normally makes men’s clothing but because some of the styles appeal as well to women, designer Laduma Ngxokolo decided to launch a women’s collection; in Milan he also showcased some of his menswear looks.

Each designer additionally had the task of developing a special limited-edition fashion item for sale at the event. All proceeds from these items will be donated to a project selected by Vogue for 2015, the EFI said.

Now back to that Mimi Plange Fixie, or fixed-gear, bike (pictured above): it too is a limited edition creation, and came about because the designer and her business partner Ibrahim Ndoye decided to “have a bit of fun” this year.

“We always ride to the garment district on our bikes, so we wanted to create something that was useful and lightweight that you could carry down steps,” she said. “So we just let our imagination ride and we came up with this.” - Tasshon

The "Beat of Africa" designers at Biffi Boutique in Milan.

TRAVEL: TAKING A WALK ON THE ART SIDE IN TUSCANY, ITALY

A view of Florence, from the surrounding hills.

Tuscany evokes instant images in most travellers’ minds: of pastel-hued buildings, green landscapes, magnificent sculptures and mouth-watering meals.

For many, though, it will be the art that leaves the most lasting impression because creativity is on display everywhere in this part of Italy. Whether it’s the age-old sculptures on the squares of major cities such as Florence and Siena, or more modern works on display in smaller towns, art is an inescapable part of the Tuscan experience - and perhaps nowhere more so than in Pietrasanta.

This coastal town in the province of Lucca has attracted artists for centuries, drawing them with its marble. According to local lore, Michelangelo was among the first sculptors to recognize the quality of Pietrasanta’s stone.

Art on the square in Pietrasanta.

In the 1400s, marble helped the town to grow in importance and influence, but the area fell into decline in later centuries, as malaria became a scourge. (Tuscany is again confronting a huge mosquito problem because of the proliferation of Asian tiger mosquitoes.)

Since the mid-1800s, Pietrasanta has seen a revival with the construction of art schools and ateliers, and the renewed extraction of its famous stone. Nowadays, artists such as the Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero and his artist wife Sophia Vari spend a good part of their time in Pietrasanta.

Siren call in Pietrasanta, by Luigi Galligani.

Both have several pieces of artwork that can be seen in the town, but apart from such renowned figures, visitors to Pietrasanta will be struck by the many other items on display, on squares and in galleries.

For several months of the year, the local authorities also host diverse temporary outdoor shows that give one the feeling of taking a stroll with art.

Because of this distinctive ambiance, Pietrasanta is well worth including on the itinerary of Florence-Lucca-Pisa-Siena, cities that are more on the beaten track.

Art in Pietrasanta (photo: Turismo Versilia)

Detail of a painting by Botero, in Pietrasanta.

COUTURE: THAI BRAND BUSARDI GOES GLOBAL IN REGAL STYLE

Busardi

Showing for only the second time at Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, the mother-and-son team of Thai brand Busardi impressed viewers with their timeless, elegant dresses.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” said an American spectator after the show on July 7. “But it was a really pleasant surprise. Everything was beautiful.”

Busardi: playing with the light.

Busardi’s Autumn-Winter 2015 collection had a majestic quality, in keeping with the “queen of the night” theme. According to creative director Busardi Muntarbhorn, the designs were meant to show the victory of light over darkness, and love over fear.

That’s a tall order for mere clothing, but the collection - shown in a grand Parisian building, where the models walked from room to room, with light from outside flooding in - managed to deliver on its promise.

The designer in fact played with darkness and light, using a range of colours for the gowns, including black, navy, deep purple, silver, electric blue, pink-beige and sky hues.

The most striking piece was perhaps a black brocade cape and dress festooned with feathers and incorporating Busardi’s signature guipure lace appliqué. This was supposed to embody fear, but it garnered expressions of admiration.

Besides brocade and silk, Busardi also employed duchess satin, organza, Chantilly lace and embroidered tulle, among the fabrics.

Busardi: a gown meant to embody "fear".

The artistry of the designs reflected the Thai reputation for superb tailoring and also highlighted the tradition of craftsmanship.

Co-founded in 2009 by mother and son, Busardi and Tuck Muntarbhorn, the brand is a semi-couture concern based in Bangkok, and it draws on the skills of artisans in the heart of Thailand. It was the first Thai label to show during Paris Haute Couture Week last season.

Before launching the brand, Busardi Muntarbhorn was creative director and head designer at the family-owned Yoswadee, founded by her mother and currently described as Thailand’s oldest surviving fashion house. She thus comes from a tradition of couture and is now aiming to go global, with Tuck’s expertise.

“She does the designs, and I do everything else,” Tuck told Tasshon with a smile.

Busardi also worked with Austrian designer Nora Rieser for the accessories of feather headpieces, masks and collars, and Rieser said it was a pleasure to see her creations presented on the runway. 

Nora Rieser

She produces custom-made pieces, which were being shown for the first time during Couture Week. The feathers are all individually cut, draped and shaped by hand before being shown onto calf-leather bases, she said. With colours going from berry red to shiny black, the pieces are meant to complement the dresses with which they’re worn.

In Busardi’s case, the match was memorable, and the models wearing the gowns and “feather art” did so with confidence and verve.

Another aspect that made the show stand out was the diversity of the models, representing African, Asian and European origins. With this, as with the designs, Busardi is showing the way to go. - L. McKenzie and J.M. De Clercq.

Busardi: the regal look.

Busardi Muntarbhorn (right) and her son Tuck.

COUTURE WEEK: MIXED FEELINGS AT PATUNA'S GOTH FEST

Judging from the comments made after Patuna’s Autumn-Winter 2015-2016 collection in Paris, one either loves or hates the creations of this Georgian-born designer.

Patuna: vetvet ensemble

An enthusiastic spectator with multi-hued hair gushed, for instance, that the show was “spectacular, amazing”, while a dour man who seemed to be a fashion buyer said the designs were “not in the least beautiful”.

“I didn’t like it at all,” he told Tasshon. “That’s not the way to use fabrics like velvet.”

Some spectators applauded loudly, while others declined to clap, making a quick exit from the Hotel du Louvre, where the show took place on July 6.

“There was just too much going on with those dresses, and some of the models didn’t seem to know what they wanted to do,” said another viewer.

The event started with a performance by singer Flowr, dressed in black and belting out the single “Logo” in melodramatic fashion, with accompaniment from pianist Denis Horvat. That set the stage for the models who emerged onto the runway doing what seemed a version of the goose step. Whatever it was, it had many spectators bemused.

Patuna: lace gown.

To say that the designs were daring would be too easy. They were over the top, eye-catching and intriguing, and will especially appeal to people who appreciate evening wear in which baroque meets biker-rock.

These were gowns, in fact, that instantly conjured up the image of leaping onto a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to head to a Gothic ball.

Patuna said that her ideas spring from art and that she used the French capital for inspiration, mixing trends from the 1930s with modern themes.

“Paris and France always inspire me,” the designer told Tasshon. “I love the architecture and history. That's why I called this collection 'Moonlight in the Streets of Paris'."

Employing silks, laces, velvet, chiffon, and other fabrics, she produced dresses that indeed mixed various influences and perhaps also reflected her own background.

The designer

Born in Georgia into a family of artists, Patuna studied ballet, drama and art. She eventually went into the medical field and became a dental surgeon, but she left this sector seven years ago to pursue her passion - fashion - and is now based in the United States.

As one spectator noted, if haute couture fails, Patuna will always have something “to fall back on”.

But with her engaging personality and individual style, the designer seems sure to increase her following, and among clients rather than dental patients. - J.M. De Clercq and L. McKenzie

Patuna: pink is for partying?

BIGGEST INT'L MENSWEAR FAIR 'BRINGS LIGHT' TO FLORENCE

Visitors at Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence, Italy.

Pitti Immagine Uomo, the world’s leading trade fair for men’s fashion, has again shown that it is the destination of choice for new designers in Europe and for buyers from around the globe.

The 88th edition, which took place June 16 to 19 in Florence, Italy (see previous article), attracted more than 30,000 visitors, two-thirds of whom were buyers, according to the organizers.

Florence Mayor Dario Nardella (left)
 and designer Nino Cerruti.

“Pitti brings a light to the fashion companies, big and small, in Florence, and it celebrates the history of Italian artisanship,” Florence’s mayor, Dario Nardella, told Tasshon in an interview at the fair’s opening ceremony.

“We’re proud to see it grow and bring visitors from around the world to our city,” he added.

The number of buyers rose by 5 percent from last year, as Pitti expanded its scope to include new designers and brands from various countries and also launched a number of special events.

European visitors came mostly from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland, while the fair also noted growth from Japan, Turkey, India, and Taiwan, among other countries, the organizers said.

Exhibition of vintage Cerrutti designs.

The sense of excitement was palpable at the main venue - the Fortezza da Basso - and at other locations around the historic city, as designers presented runway shows and iconic brands held a range of meet-ups to showcase their spring-summer 2016 collections.

The fair’s highlights also included an exhibition devoted to the work of 84-year-old Nino Cerruti, one of the leading figures in Italian men’s fashion for almost five decades, who attended the event, graciously greeting fans. It ended with a bold and playful collection by Moschino, Pitti’s Menswear Guest Designer, after a highly praised runway show by four African brands.

For the latter, Pitti joined up with the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) to focus on Africa as part of the fair’s Guest Nation project. The EFI is a flagship programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

Dent de Man SS 2016.
© Pitti Immagine and G. Giannoni

“It’s another view of Africa. This presents the Africa of design and creativity, the Africa with passion, enthusiasm and hope for the future,” said EFI founder and director Simone Cipriani, who expressed pleasure at the success of “Constellation Africa”, as the show was titled.

The brands - Dent de Man, MaXhosa by Laduma, Orange Culture and Projecto Mental - represented Nigeria, South Africa, Angola and the Ivory Coast. The designers drew glowing reviews for their inventiveness and vision, with clothing ranging from knitwear to striking off-beat ensembles.

Ivory Coast-born, Britain-based stylist Alexis Temomanin of Dent de Man particularly impressed spectators with his daring use of Java prints, incorporating traditional Ivorian elements, such as masks. But all the designers brought something fresh to Pitti Uomo.

Vincenzo Ciancio

At the main venue, among the more typical trade fair displays, other designers also stood out - such as Vincenzo Ciancio. He's one of the stylists behind the trendy Italian Hamaki Ho brand. Cianco says that the company’s youthful yet refined style is inspired from the street and from skaters.

The brand used basic colours of grey, white, blue and black, for a kind of “summer-yacht” look, and paired the clothing with hip sneakers, caps and other accessories for their spring-summer collection.

Notable at the fair as well was the parade of male fashionistas, strutting like the proverbial peacock throughout the four-day event. Where did the idea come from that men don’t like to dress up? - Text and photos by Tasshon, unless indicated.

MaXhosa by Laduma SS16. © Pitti Immagine and G. Giannoni

TOP MENSWEAR FAIR HIGHLIGHTS ETHICAL FASHION, STYLISTS

The world’s most important trade fair for men’s fashion, Pitti Immagine Uomo, will host a slew of new features for its summer edition, highlighting ethical fashion and honouring stylists from Africa, Europe and other regions.

MaXhosa by Laduma
(photo: S. Deiner)

Taking place June 16 to 19 in Florence, Italy, the fair will present a special edition of its Guest Nation Project, in which a particular area is designated for the “rising stars” of fashion from various countries, said Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Piiti.

Speaking to reporters in Paris, Napoleone said that Guest Nation will focus on African designers in 2015, in its first collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI), a flagship programme of the International Trade Centre, which itself is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

The Ethical Fashion Initiative links the world’s leading fashion talents to marginalised artisans - the majority of them women - in East and West Africa, Haiti and the West Bank.

Active since 2009, the Initiative enables artisans in low-income areas to connect with the global fashion chain, according to Simone Cipriani, the director and founder of the project. It also facilitates the development and production of high-quality, ethical fashion items that are delivered to luxury brands in a professional manner, he added.

Dent de Man
(photo: J.D. Pryce)

The EFI says that its aim is equally to “enable Africa’s rising generation of fashion talent to forge environmentally sound, sustainable and fulfilling creative collaborations with local artisans”. Under its slogan, “not charity, just work” the Initiative advocates for a fairer global fashion industry.

A special event titled “Constellation Africa” will thus promote young and talented designers from the continent at Pitti Uomo, and a runway show scheduled for June 18 will feature four brands that give priority to manufacturing in their home countries and are already known on the international market, said the fair’s organizers.

The brands are Dent de Man, MaXhosa by Laduma, Orange Culture and Projecto Mental, all of whom will present their men’s collections. The designers hail from Nigeria, South Africa, Angola and the Ivory Coast.

“I believe that Pitti Uomo is the best platform to showcase these innovative designers from Africa, the continent which hosts the future of fashion and couture“, said Cipriani.

Simone Cipriani
(photo: McKenzie)

“The richness of materials and the beauty of their designs are truly unique. This is where our global society is going: increasing interconnectedness. Global and local dimensions [being] brought together through fashion,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Napoleone of Pitti said that the designers are four “real talents” who will do “something new and very interesting” that “must be seen”.

Apart from the African stylists, Pitti has named Moschino as the Menswear Guest Designer for this edition. The Italian house, founded in 1983 by the late Franco Moschino, will put on its first men’s runway show since American designer Jeremy Scott took over as creative director in October 2013.

Design by Moschino

In addition, Thomas Tait, the London-based Canadian designer who won the LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize last year, has been selected as the Women’s Wear Guest Designer. He will create a special event for the Pitti audience on June 17.

The fair is also putting on an exhibition titled Il Signor Nino, which celebrates the work of 84-year-old Nino Cerruti, one of the leading figures in Italian men’s fashion for almost 50 years. The show has been curated by Cerruti and fashion journalist Angelo Flaccavento. It will take place at the Marino Marini Museum.

With this season’s theme of “That’s Pitticolor”, the fair’s Fortezza da Basso venue will be a site of installations, light plays and the first digital art projects, said the organizers. There will be an “Open” section that goes beyond “gender distinctions” and an “Unconventional” space to present “the most vibrant voices in the area of luxury underground styles”, said Napoleone.

Raffaello Napoleone

He added that Pitti would no longer present women’s collections under a gender sign but that these would be distributed around the 59,000-square-meter space according to styling criteria.

A Born in the USA section, in cooperation with the Liberty Fairs group, will be a highlight as well, bringing “some of the best born and made in the USA brands to Florence,” Napoleone told reporters.

Some 1,150 brands will participate in the fair this year, and the organizers expect to welcome a greater number of visitors than the 30,000 who attended in 2014. - L. McKenzie & J.M. De Clercq

Moschino