Celine draws inspirations from streets of Paris
The Jakarta Post Jakarta
Streets in a city are what veins are for the heart. Like veins that carry blood to the heart, keeping the body alive, streets make a city throb with life.
Famous fashion house Celine capitalized on this fact of life in its Spring and Summer 2003 collection. Drawing inspiration from the charming streets of Paris with its sidewalk cafes and magnificent buildings, the house designed two special lines for the season: the Poulbot bag and the Paris Macadam collection.
Named after the street kids of Montmarte, the Poulbot collection represents a young, fresh, sweet yet very Parisian style that is both smart and elegant.
The name Poulbot itself is derived from painter Francisque Poulbot, who was famous for his illustrations of children playing in the streets of Montmarte. His works were published between 1900 and 1930.
"It is perfect for those who want a young look ... like today's artists Britney Spears or Christina Aguillera," Cicilia King, Celine's public relations executive, said during last week's launching of the products at its boutique at Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta.
The Poulbot shoulder bag is carried tucked under the arm, the way a Parisian carries a newspaper or a child hiding a toy from view.
Celine creative director Michael Kors designed the bag with curves and shapes following the human body. Its edges are closed with rivets and then cobbled and finished like a pair of watertight shoes.
"The rivets were inspired by the cobbled stones in the streets of Paris," Cicilia added.
Suede and calfskin were used as the main materials.
The colors are rich and fresh like nature in springtime. The suede bag comes in the bold bright tones of magenta and tangerine as well as more soothing shades of khaki and nutmeg.
Similarly, Celine's Paris Macadam gives the streetwear a fresh, casual and sporty style. The collection is a tribute to John Loudon McAdam, dubbed Macadam, who discovered tarmac, which was first laid on the streets of Paris in 1854.
The Paris Macadam collection includes a signature casquette or gamine cap, three handbags, a pair of wooden clacquettes, a vest and a belt made of a blue and ecru cotton jean twill, patterned with the Celine blazon. The collection perfectly suits young women living in the fast track who are always on the go.
It starts with a Poulbot bag. The Poulbot bag in the Paris Macadam collection is made from denim and is trimmed with brown leather and brass rivets, giving an independent and audacious look.
The gamine cap is probably the top feature of the collection. Recalling the spirit of the 1970s, the cap is perfect to wear in hot summer weather.
A five-pocket vest and two-pocket belt inspired by cafe garcons, a functional and sexy masculine-feminine duo were designed for practical women. The vest and the belt can store a modern woman's essentials: cellular phone, lipstick and sunglasses.
The shoulder bag strengthens the street look, with its crescent shape, and is worn draped across the chest to highlight the casual look.
However, the outfit is not complete without the perfect footwear, like the 1970s clacquettes. Extremely feminine, the clacquettes come with generous wooden soles to walk on the beach or the pavement.
With this collection, one can walk in style along the streets of Paris, from Montmarte to the River Seine, or any charming street that appreciates style.