Spanish chic demonstrated in Beijing
By Chen Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-07-30 07:24

The Spanish label Loewe, member of the luxury giant LVMH, gave a catwalk show last week in Beijing to present its 2005 fall/winter collection for women.

It is the seventh collection by the 30-year-old Belgian designer Jose Enrique Ona Selfa since the latest hot designer plucked from the fast track by LVMH in 2002 as the creative director for Loewe's women's wear.

Drawing inspiration from Napoleon and Josephine's adventure through the Alps, across Europe and into Russia, Ona Selfa shows luxurious shearling and fox boleros, jackets, tabards and kimono coats, often with big cuffs detailed with embroidery.

Through a modern interpretation of Josephine and Napoleon's wardrobe, Ona Selfa brings together Napoleonic military influences in the cut of its jackets and embroideries, feminine and free-flowing dresses, the native and tribal motifs in its prints and a sumptuous mix of aristocratic and warm materials and fabrics.

He displays his genius in mixing the flowing fabrics with leather, matching the subtly puff skirts and the cropped jackets.

Chinese super models walk in these feminine dresses with empire waistlines and soft tops in twill and silk crepe that skim the female form in a sensual and fluid fashion.

The jackets, waistcoats and coats predominantly in suede, novack or cashmere and lined with "grosgrain" fur trims, range from structured military cuts to free-flowing coats that drape across the body.

As for the colour, Ona Selfa chooses black predominantly throughout the collection, alternating with off-white in the form of cashmere, suede and novack. Patterns on Josephine-inspired dresses feature black or red accented with pristine white.

This collection also features the delicate embroidery by Lesage, one of the world's most famous embroiderers.

Unlike textiles in which the embroidery can be easily sewn into the fabric, suede, a much thicker material must be prepared beforehand before the embroidery can be sewn in. Needle-sized holes need to precisely puncture into the cuffs and lapels of the jacket before any embroidery can be added.

Since 1846, Loewe, the Spanish luxury leather house, has been synonymous with the creation of exquisite bags, ready-to-wear, and accessories for men and women.

Starting as a leather workshop catering to the needs of the European royalty and well-to-do, its commitment to quality and leather craftsmanship was rewarded when, in 1905, King Alfonso XIII designed Loewe as the "Official Supplier to the Spanish Royal Family."

Loewe's global footprint began in the early 1960s with a store in the heart of London. In 1973, Loewe began a foray into Asia with the first store in Japan that was soon followed by store openings in Hong Kong and Singapore.

In 1996, on its 150th anniversary, Loewe initiated the Loewe Archives Collection and joined the LVMH group.

(China Daily 07/30/2005 page9)

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