Bruno Pieters Out In The Cold

PARIS, February 28, 2005 - A glacial blast of arctic air settled over Paris the first day of Spring Fashion Week creating ice flows in the Seine that would made a frosty New Englander proud. If a touch of warmth was what Fashionista were looking for, they did not find it at Bruno Pieters' show, staged Monday afternoon in the Jeu de Paume. Cool dove gray brocade ensembles gave way to skirts layered in ruffles, tops worked with cut outs and bottoms trailed with streamers. Throw in black leather pants ruched at the ankles, and skirts inflated by what looked to be a petticoat, and that was about as hot as it got. Program notes said the inspiration for the collection was 1920s deco with references to Man Ray and Jean Cocteau. While that may have been evident to the designer, the largely beige, black and gray pieces left most editors scratching their heads. The noticeable week spot - baggy-looking knits with ill-adapted draping - desperately needed tweaking.