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Christian Lacroix at the Centre Pompidou Copyright Carla Coulson
What did you think of the Oscar's last night? I loved The Artist and adored that it won so many Oscars. I would have given it an Oscar just for the beautiful light and glamour. Secretly, I was just as excited about the red carpet as I was about the winners!
Can a fashion victim ever reform? My guess is no. In my twenties I use to spend my whole salary on clothes. The wilder the better, the word conservative wasn't in my fashion vocabulary! Hence, like most fashion victims my wardrobe went 'out of fashion' quickly. Ohhh but there were so many bright moments and they will be forever burnt into my memory thanks to what I was wearing.
I remember putting on my pink jodphurs (yes!!!) or my black leather jacket with cowhide patches ( it was the 80's after all) and felt I was on my own red carpet as I entered a room. Delusional I know but sometimes clothes can make you feel that good.
My tastes have changed but the hippy chick inside is alive and well. It's impossible for me to wear beige (unless it's fake fur). I am always reaching for the brightly embroidered top or the ruffled skirt or the colourful caftan. It's in my DNA and I can't change it. I admire muted colours on others and sooooo want to be Parisian chic (and a little slimmer) but when I hold up that cashmere jumper in beige it just ain't me.A lifetime of dreaming about floating around an island house in a colourful caftan just won't go away.. Chicca boom!!!
So whilst I was flicking through my archives today I came across one of the last shows of the marvellous Christian Lacroix and decided to share his masterful couture designs with you. My first introduction to Mr. Lacroix was via the hilarious Absolutely Fabulous duo Eddy and Patsy whose fashion hero was 'Lacroix, Lacroix'. They adored his pret-a-porter but I didn't.
When I arrived in Paris I soon discovered Christian Lacroix was a demi-god to the Parisians. In their eyes he was the master of couture and it took Carla just one couture to show to get it. Lacroix rocked!! He was heavily influenced by his natal Arles, think Gypsy Kings meets the bullfights and he loved to sprinkle a little of this in his high fashion.
I was with a fashion director I often worked with at Christian Lacroix's second last show, she was misty eyed and so was I. The rumours were out that a bankrupt Lacroix would soon be finishing. A creative genius putting away the gossamer dreams after a life-time of work and walking slowly to the door. This show full of colour and over the top ruffles, tulle, flounces and giant earrings sang little songs to Carla's heart. I was doing my own little Chicca Boom for Christian the master of the overstated and yelling olay, olay, olay....hoping he could continue. He couldn't, just months later the label folded.
Long live maximalists..
Any favourite frocks at the Oscars??
Carla xx
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Carla, when I saw the tiny Lacroix photo come up on my reader, I had to click over right away. I too was a complete fashion victim (an urge that I still fight daily and often lose, haha) in my 20s and when I discovered Lacroix back then I was in heaven--still remember a balloon sleeve navy/white polka dot Lacroix blouse I wore with a tiny red Kenzo mini skirt + motorcycle boots. Oh to be skinny like that again (guess all my $ went to fashion then)...and daring. It's so sad that the most creative designers sometimes must fold. I hope that he will come back with a new collection somehow somewhere!
ReplyDeletexo Mary Jo
That is a lovely show. I like the lightness and brightness. Like being in a apple blossum garden, I would think.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have such proximity to the catwalk.
I loved Lacroix, and I too have happy fashion memories from the 80s. It was a great decade to be a fshionista! Favorite frock from the Oscars, hmmmmm... I think Gwyneth Paltrow's was tres formidable!
ReplyDeleteDon't know why Lacroix had to fold...bad management?
ReplyDeletewhy?
why?
why?
his clothes look like his fanciful drawings...so sad
This is so lovely! :) I love how you take pictures of fashion shows and fashion spreads. :) It must be so glamorous!
ReplyDeleteIt's very random, but the one thing that sparked my interest as well in this post is you mentioning Centre Pompidou! Renzo Piano! With all its utilities exposed to the outside, yes? :)
Lacroix's sense of color astounds me. Bouquets of dresses!
ReplyDeleteCatherine
Dear Carla
ReplyDeleteI too loved Lacroix. So sad that he folded. As I'm older than you, I was into fashion in the seventies when I was skinny enough to wear it and spent almost all my earnings on it (just kept enough for a round trip ticket from Australia to England so that I could live and work there for some years). So my fave then was Mary Quant and her mini skirts and jackets and trouser suits and dresses. Just loved them. Foolishly I gave them all away years ago. Somehow back then I was too much of a kid still to relate to French fashion.
That came later and Lacroix was one of my first crushes. Have several of his fabulous scarves and some of his jewellery. Such a brilliant designer. Some of it I bought in his shop in Arles where you could really feel the formative influences on his design and creativity. Have recently bought some stationery he's designed (in past year), journals, boxes of cards that sort of thing. So very much his wonderful colours and designs. They were on sale in the National Gallery of Australia shop. And have seen that he's now designs fabrics and hotel interiors. It's great that he's been able to continue in a different form though sadly not with his wondrous fashions.
Carla I have just recently joined your blog through your books all of which i have bought. I love the touch of your books and of course the subjects. Reading this entry I was in love in his way over the top designs, I am into art not fashion but could not help but love his style. It was refreshing reading on how your relate to the fashion world and with all your success I can see you are still that down to earth girl from Sydney. Loving your blog.
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