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| 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.”
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| 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.
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| 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.
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.
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| 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.
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| Busardi: the regal look. |
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| Busardi Muntarbhorn (right) and her son Tuck. |
