Written by Sedef Kokcuoglu

Those who live and die for fashion; the designers, craftsmen, models, buyers, editors and such, all know that our world is constructed upon one thing and one thing only-the moment. Once that brief pocket of precious time passes us by, leaving a trail of glamour and splendor, we become obsessed with the next fad. Then there are those few who can see several steps ahead of everyone else, predicting and creating what will be before it is. Christian Lacroix is one of these rare visionaries.

This season the loud message being delivered on the runways across the globe is, "More is more!" Therefore, it is rather fascinating that the creative mastermind behind Emilio Pucci, a label often associated with flamboyant ostentation, is toning down the psychedelic effects of the trademark Pucci swirls by magnifying patterns and making ample use of solid colors.

Instead of overwhelming the Pucci woman’s elusive beauty in a sea of intense patterns, Lacroix is using unadulterated hues like back and white as the back drop against which the playfulness of vivid design is displayed. For Spring 2005 the overall Emilio Pucci look is polished yet feminine, demure yet mischievous, proper yet adventurous. Lady like, streamlined trench coats brilliant in strawberry bonbon, lemon sorbet, orange pop and framboise tart are belted snugly around the waist, creating an enticingly curvaceous silhouette. White cotton eyelet dresses, wispy and frothy like vanilla bean cotton candy are tied around the neck with rainbow silk scarves for a dainty look. Wide cuffed Capris in twirling and spinning prints are matched with plain fuchsia or aqua tank tops to achieve a fine balance. Finally, there are the fluid dresses dreamy with trains of lithe chiffon trailing behind, available in whirling candy colors as well as captivating solids, all equally arresting.


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