Raffaella Curiel, one of the titans of Italian high fashion, presented a Haute Couture collection of flower explosions at AltaRoma SS16. It is a veritable ode to the beauty of nature and spring, a testament to the rebirth and bloom following the cold and silent darkness of winter.
The Milanese designer proposed series of day and cocktail dresses and refined eveningwear. The colors, embroideries and prints seem to be stolen from the most lavish, ornate gardens and the humblest but radiant fields. The gardenia blossom is ever-present throughout the collection along with other flowers including the poppy, the most ephemeral and delicate of flowers, which appears in a woven basket of raffia on a bustier.
The designer has utilized bright, colorful hand-embroidery, a fine example of the highest tradition of Italian couture. Starting with the famous ‘Curiellini’ the sought-after suit of Raffaella Curiel, is available in many shades, the signature mini jacket, which ends just below the waist, is embellished by an embroidered ring of interwoven petals. Similarly, the couturier has carried out the petal theme in the cut, print and embroidery of the skirts, which move effortlessly without revealing too much, a look of elegance and femininity.
Leaves, almost tropical, are another prominent element in the collection. Dresses and corsets, transparent drapery and flowing lines are all part of the sophisticated allure. To accompany the dresses is an original line of shoes in different shades always on a carved heel and with applied contrasting shades of leather. The hairstyling by Sergio Valente, an undisputed master of style, is notable for the interpretation of the flower theme; haughty and elegant chignons, hair wrapped into corollas adding to the overall look of the collection.
In closing Curiel present a bride who was a resplendent Mother Nature. Chic and romantic, without a veil, holding a bouquet of freshly picked roses, the bride conceived by Raffaella Curiel is a creature of love, simple and true. As a closing statement, the designer created an ivory white dress with beautifully embroidered bandeau bustier and flared skirt, the embodiment of the spirit and poetry of the whole collection.
