" I want to be a living work of art" - The Marchesa Luisa Casati

Marchesa Luisa Casati was an iconic european socialite whose opulent life revolved around decadent fashion and over the top moments ...... The fashion label Marchesa, named after this famed fashionista has been a New York-based high end fashion label since 2006 and was co-founded by British born Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig in London in 2004 ..... Elegant evening wear, inspired by vintage and Asian influences, defines the Marchesa Collection and has been a glamorous red carpet favourite for long !! ..... For their fall collection at the Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week Fall 2013 .... Marchesa did not disappoint ..... After all befitting its namesakes desire to be a living work of art, the designers were influenced by an equestrian Goya painting and a pair of Toreador pants .... Art and fashion were never better married in recent times ....... We are totally in love with the collection, particularly an incredible strapless fuchsia gown that every stylist dressing Hollywood stars worth her name must be salivating over ..... given that the Oscars are just around the corner on 25th Feb :)

Marchesa

The inspiration for the collection is a painting by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes or simply Goya .... a Spanish Romantic painter (1746-1828) ..... "We took inspiration from a Goya painting from the late 1700s, titled 'Portrait of Maria Teresa De Vallabriga on Horseback' "explained Georgina Chapman after the show. "We took notes from Goya’s non-conventional approach to the traditional equestrian portrait, pairing deconstructed corsetry with tailored skirting and embroidered trousers. We played with the juxtaposition of light and dark hues and applied antique gold leaf embroidery and floral threadwork to add a softer, more feminine touch evocative of the Romantic period.”

Goya, a painter in the Spanish court .... was a keen observer of contemporary society and painted superb portraits of the Spanish nobility and royalty ...... With extraordinarily skilful pictorial effects, he accurately portrayed the Rococo opulence of furnishings and fashions, and the aristocratic assurance of his subjects pose .... Apart from this he also painted portraits of several bullfighters and captured the national sport of Spain with the remarkable eye of someone for whom Bullfighting was a work of high art .... Infact his countrymen named one of the most famed bullfighting spectacle in the town of Ronda, Andalusia, Spain as the "Corrida Goyesca" !! ..... Goya even designed the traditional dress of the famous bullfighters of his time ...... The "traje de luces" (suit of lights) is the traditional clothing that Spanish bullfighters (toreros, picadors and rejoneadors) wear in the bullring ..... The term originates from the sequins and reflective threads of gold or silver ....... These trajes are based on the flamboyant costumes of the 18th century dandies and showmen involved in the bullfighting ritual ...... Infact "dressed to kill" is the ritual of dressing the Matador or Torero !!

“George called me from L.A. saying, ‘I’ve found these vintage toreador trousers. They’re fabulous,’” recalls Keren Craig, referring to her partner Georgina Chapman .... and that is how Marchesa's Fall 2013 collection was born ..... Goya's painting and the "Traje de Luces" component "Taleguilla" .... the close-fitting tights which extend from the waist to underneath the knee as worn by the matadors ..... also commonly called in fashion parlance as Toreador pants (women's close-fitting pants that extend to or slightly above the calf, styled after the pants traditionally worn by Spanish bullfighters) ..... It is an incredible collection of drapes deconstructed, flounces, embroidery, full theatrical gowns, sassy necklines, billowing sleeves, sensual reds, a stunning fuchsia, the inevitable evening black and the most romantic shades of white and pearl grey ...... complimented by the trendy single soled strappy Louboutins .... Do enjoy the show !!!!!

The Collection

Details Accessories Hair Make Up

The minimal strappy sandals in velvet and metallic leathers is going to be THE trend in the coming season ..... and Christian Louboutin's collection for Marchesa Fall 2013 is just a preview of Monsieur Louboutin's own line .... we bet there are ladies already on the waiting list for these beauties .... The make up and hair is minimal and a great canvas for these gorgeous diva couture ..... Hope you liked our post .... Until next time .... :)
DS