The Perfect Gradient

I'm not one to banish supposed one-season wonders.  If I like something, I generally will stick with it for a while longer.  This is especially the case with ombre/gradient effects that though I have toyed with in the last months, my experimentation with this colour effect isn't going to die away just like that.  Not one when I have ordered silk, chiffon, light jersey fabrics for me to get dye happy with. 

In the meantime though, I can dream away with Ostwald Helgason's SS08 collection entitled 'Le Tricorne'.  I would not in a million years guess the inspiration behind this collection.  But then again I would not have been bright enough to connect Diaghilev's Ballet Russes production Le Tricorne with this collection (note...V&A will be staging a major exhibtion on Diaghilev and Ballet Russes...can't wait!)  Picasso, who designed the costumes for this ballet, returning to his Andalusian roots because the story of the ballet was written by Spanish dramatist Gregorio Martinez Sierra and features Spanish dance.

German-born Susanne Oswalt and Icelandic Ingvar Helgason came together a few years ago and this is the first collection that I got a  personal feel of when I was at Rendez-Vous last season in Paris.  They have taken the sharp tailoring of bullfighting costumes and the flowyness of flamenco dancers but it's their play with colour gradient prints and and texture that has really got me switched on about this collection.  They mix matt and shiny materials and use digital prints to replicate pleats and the combination of a meadow palette of blue and yellow are all made to work to great effect here.

I may be a slow-mo with my own ombre experimentation but I'm glad some designers are keeping me inspired to be a little slow about it.       

Comments

[Drusilla]

I love colour bleeds and fades, I'm rather hoping the trends don't just run away before I've had a chance to enjoy them properly.

[Suzanna]

These are lovely; the dress in the upper right and the yellow/gray jacket two below it especially. That jacket is of particular interest because of how well the technique works with the interesting shape.

Ballets Russes exhibit? Why do we never get these things in LA?

[buttonsandstars]

See, THESE are the way that I like to see the whole gradient thing. It's subtle and pretty, whereas it can sometimes look quite tacky!
The first picture of the little crop trousers with the blue ombre on it is GORGEOUS! I'd like to see them in person actually.

[WendyB]

I like that kimono-sleeved jacket (dress?) in the 3rd row.

[jessie]

i like the kimono-sleeved yellow & gray one as well, but the ones that fade to blue just make me think of this sweatshirt i had that i wore every day in 5th grade :\