Imaginative collection from Cardin

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32677, 5 August 1971, Page 7

Imaginative collection from Cardin

PARIS, August 4

Pierre Cardin has done it again. In his recently acquired op-art theatre just off the Champs Elysees, this maestro of space - age fashion showed an audience of 800 that he alone of the couture houses can produce an imaginative and original collection, writes Della Denman, a New Zealand Press Association correspondent.'

This week of haute couture i had been devoid of a new line for 1971-72 winter fashion before Cardin. His | theme is an up-dated poncho flaring to the knee, and worn I with black tights, polo-necked jumper, and head-hugging woollen cap. Dozens of these brilliantcoloured tabards, bat-wing sleeved or sliced with holes, flashed down the catwalk, and afterwards came a variation on the line—sleeveless, Robin Hood tunics—worn with same tights and jumpers. They came in every fabric —from suede to velvet, tweed to Persian lamb—and for “le sport” were lengthened slightly, buttoned down the front, and worn over slightly-flared black wool or pebble-tweed trousers.

For evening wear he went quite mad: spectacular, searing purple and mustard kaftans with sequined bodices, shimmering satin chemises with slashed sleeves worn with a plate-like shining piece of plastic suspended

from the back of the neck, ; saris of silk draped dramatically over one shoulder, yellow and scarlet , crepes pleated all the way down, huge belle-shaped Scarlett O’hara taffeta skirts teamed with tiny satin tops and foot-high satin collars standing up and framing the face. PATOU’S CHOICE It was back to St Trinians at Jean Patou’s 1971-72 winter collection, with all the models sporting trim blazersuits, gym-tunics, black stockings and shoes, and cheeky black bowlers. They were all set for the Paris autumn term in backless halter-necked brown tweedy pinafores over purple turtle-neck sweaters and tights, or apple-green tunics buttoned down the back over turquoise tights and jumper. For the lower forms, Patou provided shorter tabards over boxy skirts and crepe blousons.

On outings to the town the Patou girls—who must be the , tiniest of all the couture models—were decked out in neat narrow velvet blazers, I grey box-pleated skirts, jolly embroidered waistcoats, starched Eton-collared shirts, and floppy black velvet bow ties, and for smartness they wore snappy battle-dress wool jackets over gored skirts hemlined at the knee or slim gold velvet trews. The Patou winter uniform is a three-quarter length jacket-coat in pebble-tweed or soft fur tie-belted over knife-pleated skirts. And for rainwear he issues a delightful shower-proof beige gaberdine suit nipped in at the waist, belted, and wide-col-lared, over gored skirt. These should be a smash hit for

any rainwear manufacturer. For evening this couture house, like most others this week, cascaded into chiffon. He returned to the pinafore look with enchanting candypink lace dresses, apronfronted, halter-neck topped, with no back at all—and then varied the theme to halter-necked silk chemises criss-crossed with laurel leaf straps at the back. The final touch of genius in an exquisite and cunningly thought-out collection: a trio of rich-hued Jane Eyre taffeta dresses with tiny tops, wide bell skirts, and

black taffeta university gowns to match. The models at the Louis Feraud 1972 winter collection looked like the figures in a Manet painting with romantic yellowing white lace blouses, gently flared black crepe skirts, shoe-lace ties; and wide silk cumberbunds. Black, red, and white was the order of the day—Feraud didn't divert from this colour scheme for a second. His standard suit had a scarlet boxy jacket, black/white striped shirt, huge black bow it- the neck, and swinging box-pleated skirt. . The floppy Edwardiana blouses came in for evening wear as well over long blackwhite t striped fully-gathered taffeta .skirts, or black crepe culottes. And velvet was another well-used fabric—used in trench-style trouser’ suite edged at the pockets; and seamed In scarlet lea-: ther. Big applause was given to sailor suite with brief white bolero tops, shoe-lace ties, and black pleated skirts just on the knee. Coats were neat and tight at the top, flaring out widely. Most were in plain wool — edged and seamed in white leather and laced up at the front. Others were capeshouldered and worn with coal-skuttle felt hate dipping deep down at the back. The best was a Prince of Wales check with an elbow length cape and a diagonally striped tie at the neck. For later day wear, Feraud changed the mood and produced a trio of ankle-length ginger suede dresses striped m white.