Designers take inspiration from nearly anything around them: from a journey through distant lands, like how Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman for Marchesa created their Spring 2011 collection by drawing influence from travels through the Orient. Or to something as unnerving as insects, the way Alexander McQueen created the optical illusion of moth’s wings in his Spring 2010 collection. Or even to actual human interactions; showing human behavior and emotion through fabric and movement the way Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga likes to do.
Some designers are attracted to theater or cinema and create a story through the cohesiveness and fluidity of their collections, like Jean Paul Gaultier did in his Fall 2011 collection. He depicted the story of the movie Black Swan with his contradiction of light and dark, tulle lined skirts and constructed coats, feminine chiffon and masculine wool suiting; the opposition in fabrics, colors and cuts portrays the story of Black Swan beautifully and effortlessly. And our parents told us watching TV was bad…
“We all know the story. Virginal girl, pure and sweet, trapped in the body of a swan. She desires freedom but only true love can break the spell. Her wish is nearly granted in the form of a prince, but before he can declare his love her lustful twin, the black swan, tricks and seduces him. Devastated the white swan leaps of a cliff killing herself and, in death, finds freedom.”
Darren Aronofsky’s masterpiece, Black Swan, is a twisted but aesthetically pleasing tale that parallels that of the ballet Swan Lake. What is Swan Lake about? Well, Natalie Portman’s character, Nina, explains it quite well: “It’s about a girl who gets turned into a swan and she needs love to break the spell, but her prince falls for the wrong girl, so she kills herself.” Pleasant, isn’t it? Not only did this movie win over critics, but it inspired designers, such as Jean Paul Gaultier. The runway and ballet are more alike than we think. Graceful men and women, calculating each step on that stage, trying to stay balanced while keeping effortlessly cool in their intricate costumes as a captivated audience looks on.
Gaultier took bits and pieces from the costumes of Black Swan and incorporated it into his Fall 2011 line. We see a strong impact from the movie in those tutu-like skirts, feather-adorned hair and pointe shoe heels, along with the models’ intimidating sneer that very much resembles Miss Portman’s when she dances as Odile. What’s the verdict? It’s unanimous. What a superb line to match a superb movie.
Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2011 Couture
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