Singapore Fashion Week 2013: Day 8 – Asian Couture 2

Wednesday Oct 16th, day 8 of FIDé Fashion Week in Singapore, started the 3 days countdown to the end of the 11 days of fashion that lit up the catwalk at Marina Bay Sands. The night saw Thai, Philippines and Chinese skilful tailoring taking central stage and showing the public how couture is done – the Asian way.

Here are the highlights of the night.

Vatit Itthi

Thai duo Vatit Virashpanth and Itthi Metanee took the runway to show some selected pieces from their Bangkok Elle Fashion Week collection.

The pieces had a brushed up clean feel to them, with little to no embroidery, no prints and a very minimalist use of appliqués. The main element of the outfits was characterised by draping and layers of silk in a re-interpretation of the 1940s European women.

The materials were tailored to move and adapt their shape to the speed and length of the wearer’s step, thus calling and immersing the viewer in; just like we would feel towards the protagonist of a novel.

Clean, delicate, poised. Like!

Michael Cinco’s Andalucían Dream

A day after the exclusive tête-à-tête with Marie France Asia, Michael Cinco unveiled his finely crafted collection hence opening a fabulous evening of incredible Couture (full interview with the designer here).

The Dubai-based couturier returned to Asia to join the Asian Couture Federation and presented three sets of beautifully tailored evening gowns, dresses and high fashion pieces inspired by Spanish Andalucía.

Michael’s couture pieces graced the runway to exquisitely nostalgic tunes. The sets were attuned to Flamenco reds, “matador” (Spanish bull fighter) black and arabesque beige, in harmony with the enchanting Alhambra Palace.

Silk tulles, embroidery, beads, jewels were all there. Nothing was out of place. Nothing was left unfinished. Nothing needed perfecting. Everything melancholically and overwhelmingly filling up our hearts and creating a triptych collection that is indeed deign of being worn by the crème de la crème.

Guo Pei is worth the wait

One model, One dress? One hairstyle per piece? One-way catwalk? One-time and one time only look at a masterpiece? Over one hour of anticipation to ensure that every hair is in place and every model’s back is accurately supported and has eye candy helpers proportional to the weight of the dress? One whole song and choreography for every single item of the collection?

Yes. This is Guo Pei. We will wait. We will abide. We will be in awe.

We did. We loved it. It doesn’t get any better than the Queen of Chinese Couture.

We are talking about hand sewn masterpieces here, some of which require 50K man hours to complete and 400 craftsmen individually trained by Guo Pei herself to achieve perfection. Some outfits require 5 experts just to be worn, or as it is the case, “installed” onto the model and need a few male models to be chauffeured through the one-way walk on the catwalk.

This is art form, which is meant to be flaunted, to be displayed, to be adored, not to be worn nor lived; to enter creation and to be loved in its perfection. The show was named “The Arabian 1002 Nights” and encompassed historical elements, fantasy age-space materials and geometry and was pure opulence.

Grandeur and Magnificence.

Lilyth Compostella

Photos: FIDé Fashion Weeks

Singapore Fashion Week (organised by FIDé Fashion Weeks) is taking place at Marina Bay Sands The Shoppes, until the 19th of October. For more information about the event, click here.

*More Singapore Fashion Week coverage: Pret-a-porter, Menswear, Japanese fashion,  Asian Couture, French Couture, Closing shows.