The sounds of a galloping horse and typewriter keystrokes along with mesmeric orchestral music illustrated a romantic narrative that unfolded on the imposing circular runway walked by models presenting the new Sirivannavari and S'Homme collections at Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon, last Thursday night.
The "Horse, Helen and Henri" collection for spring/summer 2018 is inspired by a poem penned by HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, founder and creative director of the eponymous brand.
A verse expresses the affection that Henri, a young military officer, has for Helen, a farm girl, and vice versa. The equine in the collection's title brings them together, as Helen sees a horse running through a field of yellow canola, carrying the unconscious and injured soldier.
She tends his wounds and cares for him during recovery while they fall for each other but have to part, because of Henri's call of duty to rejoin the army.
In bidding farewell, a painting of a horse and a military jacket are exchanged by the two, with Henri promising Helen that he will come back.
They initially keep in touch through letters but as time goes by, they drift apart. Finally one day in the barley field with blooming poppies, the forlorn farm girl hears the sound of a running horse and realises Henri is keeping his word to spend the rest of his life with her.
"All the details of the collection relate to the whole story -- asymmetrical silhouettes, the exquisite embroidery and details such as the horse, horse tack, the yellow of the canola, ear of barley, sealing wax, poppy flowers, buzzing bees and so on," HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana said of adapting her poem for her fashion collection and show.
Red poppies bloomed at Royal Paragon Hall where on a central stage, the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra performed an original score composed by the multi-talented princess.
"The mood of my music is Neo-Romantic with a modern twist, adding a touch of acoustic guitar. The music narrates the romantic relationship that develops between Henri and Helen. In particular, you can hear the sound of a typewriter in the score to signify the correspondence typed by Helen," the princess explained.
The royal composition provided the runway rhythm for a parade of 50 stylish looks for women and seven for men from the new collection.
Key pieces include a romantic white dress with ruffle details, an evening gown with poppy flowers and feather appliqué, and crystal encrusted in the shape of a horseshoe, as well as a leather bustier with hand-painted motif.
More masculine looks include a Napoleonic jacket with gold thread embroidery in an ear of barley and a bee motif matched with high-waisted trousers, as well as a deconstructed jacket with raw-edge details paired with pristine white jeans.
Beachwear's cut-out silhouette empowers women to feel confident in their figures while custom-made Swarovski crystals lend a sparkling embellishment.
Reflecting Henri's personality, S'Homme menswear celebrates the luxe of the modern gentleman with countryside casualness.
Key pieces include the exquisitely embroidered Napoleonic jacket, double-breasted with red piping to match pants with the same details, and a herringbone military jacket that pairs with white jeans showing the S logo in gold embellishment.
"The silhouettes and structures of this season are quite varied and complicated, from a mermaid dress and ball gown, to deconstructed looks," said the princess. "In addition, I added some details and techniques to create new dimensions such as a quilted pattern, pleating technique from Gérard Lognon's workshop in Paris and our own Maison's embroidery craftsmanship."
The poem has also been translated into graphic prints, one designed with horses and horse tack, another with flowers, bees and ears of barley.
The prints are further incorporated in the textile collection, such as the scarf and the mini rectangular scarf used for handbag handles.
Leather goods include a bucket bag with an interwoven leather strap adorned with gilded metal and flowers, and a laser-cut tote bag featuring hand-painted graphics on the side.
Footwear ranges from flats and high heels to top boots -- some designs offering a sexy touch through transparent material and shoestrings resembling corset laces.
The poetic theme extends to the bijoux collection designed in the shape of horses, horse tack, ears of barley, and poppy flowers on jewellery settings.
The inaugural fine-jewellery collection of rings, necklaces and earrings was also unveiled, and marks another milestone for the celebrated Thai label.
The spring/summer 2018 collections are available at the Sirivannavari Boutique on the 1st Floor, Fashion Gallery 3, Siam Paragon.
