Quite recently I had the privilege to attend a fashion event in Bucharest, a most singular happening in our covidian times, Soirées de la Mode Edition #27, one of the longest running Romanian fashion events, created and directed each year by the well-known concept creator and fashion analyst, Alin Galatescu.
It was a tribute, this time, to a most talented fashion designer who unfortunately left us in spring this year: Alber Elbaz. A charismatic and charming artist, creative director in the service of Lanvin for more than 14 years, a creator of sophisticated and simple, both romantic and practical outfits, he was a designer who truly encouraged and supported younger generations, being referred to by such as the ”Professor” and who loved women whom he dressed so beautifully, as he himself confesses in an interview: “I love women. That is why I put so much good vibes into design.”
Most of the designer choices made by Alin Galatescu for this show proved to be authentic and valid domestic values of this industry and their creations were in the spirit of the late honoured designer’s work.
A pleasant surprise was the comeback of a fresh and gifted designer, Simona Semen, who offered an interesting performance in the direction of Alber Elbaz’s efforts towards a ”conscious fashion”, with her stylish, upcycled and playful outfits, very coherent chromatically and conceptually, shown by professional models, from among whom a noteworthy presence being Corina Sucarov who added perfect attitude to her lovely outfit.
Another fresh fashion expression on stage was Ana Maria Saragia, a nonconformist, daring, comfy, fleshy & flashy, cool glam proposal which spelt sensuality, freedom and freshness, while the flamboyant and dramatic look was reserved to Isa Van Dee.
By far, however, the most refined and a truly haute couture presence was signed by Amelian Atelier under the magic wand of fashion designer Maria Amelian. With her creatively smart silicone lace, her well-known sartorial signature, – a fashion innovation she created and successfully implemented in Romanian fashion -, her silk silhouettes caressing the female body and her finest hand embroidery on mousse-like tulle, a well-balanced mélange of tradition and modernity, Amelian Atelier managed to create a spectacular appearance perfectly matching the beauty of the brilliantly decorated ceiling of Le Diplomat Room of the Athénéé Palace Hilton hotel which hosted the event.
It was nice noticing that Maria Amelian also designed her own accessories (necklace and earring sets) which perfectly completed the outfits shown in the same fashionably dramatic keynote.
Even without the applauding audience, it was an admirable performance involving talent, efforts and a lot of work (really seen actually from backstage) and the credits and the ovations should go to the mastermind of this event, Alin Galatescu who manages to hold this show year in, year out, pandemic or no pandemic, sometimes, twice a year, and to the attending designers, these makers of dreams as Alber Elbaz himself used to call them in a memorable speech at Voices 2018: ‘’Glamour is electrifying and maybe electricity is better generated by engineers. Fashion might not be that fast and not as electrifying, but we remain an industry that creates dreams.’’
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