La Mer et La Terre

By Margaret Pluvinage

Imagine floating beneath the surface of the Mediterranean sea and looking upward towards the sky, there are thousands of midnight blue rose petals floating on the surface of the water reflecting the sunlight and sparkling like crystals and you will be at Yuki Katsura’s haute couture show. An evening gown of navy blue tulle, embroidered with pearls and white silk organza ribbons and a magical glowing gown of washi (handmade Japanese paper) are just two examples of Ms. Katsura’s perfection of the sea goddess. Ms. Katsura’s love of the rose has taken the beauty of this flower beyond its earthly beginnings. Her use of deep midnight blue rose petals floating on sheer sheaths of tulle, silk, and washi paper make one believe they have found the secret garden and are forever bound to the earth by its beauty. Ms. Katsura’s bolero jackets and dresses made of washi define the meaning of haute couture. A royal blue evening dress of crepe and tulle, with a silk rose on the shoulder and an embroidered skirt with little blue silk flowers seem to spring from the earth. Ms. Katsura takes our dreams and makes them a reality. Her representation of the land and sea seemed to do the impossible job of perfecting the perfect. Yumi Katsura has not only mastered the art of working with silk and lace, she has managed to add her own special signature by using traditional Japanese techniques of weaving and folding paper to make an extraordinary haute couture collection. There seems to be no end to beauty in the hands of Ms. Katsura. Her small frame balanced on platform heels inspired her to perfect the balance of nature. We look forward to turning our dreams into reality with the opening of Ms. Katsura’s first boutique in Paris on the rue Cambon this April.