Paris designer Gaultier shows designs inspired by Ukraine (08/07/05)

Paris designer Gaultier shows designs inspired by Ukraine

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - On July 6-9 Kateryna Yushchenko, along with her daughter Sophia, attended, as guests of honor, Paris designer Jean Paul Gaultier's collections show during Paris Haute Couture Week. The wife of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko made it a point to view Mr. Gaultier's creations because of the Eastern European-inspired collection that would be modeled at the show.

Mrs. Yushchenko and Mr. Gaultier met in Kyiv at the Eurovision contest, and it was there that he revealed to the first lady that he planned to design a collection about Ukraine.

From their hair to their toes, every aspect of the models, among them Lily Cole, Erin O'Connor and Jade Parfitt, incorporated Ukrainian culture. Their 5-foot hair extensions and braids twisted into head-dresses transformed the models into Ukrainian maidens, reported the United Kingdom's Telegraph.

Some looked like Hutsuls from the Carpathians in their velvet jackets embroidered in gold with fox and mink collars and gauntlet cuffs, while others resembled Cossacks, dressed in ensembles that included big-sleeved peasant smocks worn over full trousers tucked into boots, the newspaper reported. Trypilian art also was reflected through the paisley-esque patterns on military-style redingotes in bright orange, pewter, onyx and chocolate cashmere with astrakhan wide collars and triple cuffs.

According to wwd.com (Women's Wear Daily), Mrs. Yushchenko hopes to bring a group of Ukrainian designers to the Paris haute couture stage as early as October.

At Paris' Haute Couture Week Mrs. Yushchenko told Hilary Alexander of the Telegraph: "We want to bring to Europe what is best from Ukraine and to take back the best of Europe."

| Home Page |