Paris Scene: Angsana aims for couture stardom

Kunang Helmi-Picard, Contributor, Paris

"Couture Superstars" is the title of a provocative show on fashion at the Parisian Musee de la Mode et du Textile, which is a neighbor of the famous Louvre museum.

The show, which runs until the end of September, features all those couturiers who have achieved superstar status. Is Indonesian Farah Angsana now aiming to join this super-stellar company?

The 30-year-old Farah Angsana, Medan-born, but raised abroad in Los Angeles and London, burst onto the Paris scene in January with her women's haute couture show.

On July 2, she presented her first men's collection in Paris in the company of 40 other couturiers. Shown at the Carroussel du Louvre, her sexy, slinky, Indonesian inspired collection stood out from the rest because of her unique ethnic flavor and leisurely attitude.

Angsana, who despite being feisty is ultra-feminine, idolizes the "Modern Man", whom she invests with a sportive beauty, sensual and exotic.

This collection was dominated by a palette of Indonesian colors, beige to warm browns, copper to gold, with touches of orange and green. Her prints are inspired by batik, but made on luxurious yet light materials. Silk and linen predominated, while the male models also sported tattoos.

Exotic accessories inspired by Bali spiced up the clothes. Delicate shell belts and huge mother-of-pearl buckles on leather strings were to be seen on slinky leather-like trousers with laced up slits.

Shimmering silks in myriad colors caressed the skin. Batik stretch trousers modernized traditional forms. Stripes in fresh colors also peppered the show. Knit tops in tank shapes or as short-sleeved jackets came in varied forms.

Meanwhile, some ensembles reminded those viewers who are familiar with the Indonesian archipelago of Sumatran costumes with their wrap-around Sumatran ikat. Several swimsuits appeared as short boxer shorts, laced up in blue or brown tones.

Despite the obvious pleasure of the public and professional audience, Farah Angsana is cautious: "I'm very happy of course at all the applause, but obviously the business aspect of my show is yet to follow. My financier husband is waiting for me to show tangible results."

The months to come will reveal the real success of her menswear collection, which is slated to go on sale in summer 2003.

Otherwise, men's fashion designers returned to elegance with Yves Saint Laurent emphasizing suits. Tom Ford also presented a new male fragrance simply called M7 to celebrate that event.

"Tailoring, tailoring!" was Ford's response to inquiries about his 40s inspired collection for Yves Saint Laurent.

Lanvin, Francesco Smalto and Dior Homme also returned to French chic whereas Sonia Rykiel was inspired by India, proof of the validity of Asian influences in Western fashion. Helmut Lang deserted New York to present his menswear collection in Paris, ignoring Milan.

Referring back to the exhibition on the evolution of the couture superstar in both women's and menswear, here fashion fans are confronted with a historical perspective on how the artisans evolved into couture stars, said to be endowed with unusual creative powers.

From the 19th century through the 20th and up until the new millennium, oriental influences are evident, so that Farah Angsana does not come as a huge surprise on the French scene, but as a logical development.

Poiret burst on the scene with oriental touches and even Jean- Paul Gaultier and Galliano for Dior constantly make references to the Asian details that make a difference.

How many of these couture superstars are French? With American Jeremy Scott, German Karl Lagerfeld, Maltese John Galliano, Belgian Martin Margiela and other young non-Gallic pretenders in the wings, Parisian designers have a lot to defend. Perhaps Yves Saint Laurent was right to bow out in style while still at the top.