Functional romanticism
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac presented his "First Aid" collection for Summer 99 in his luminous headquarters/workspace, welcoming his visitors himself. In a collection influenced by the medical world, white was omnipresent and some models and accessories were marked with a red cross. But if one went beyond this theme there was an appealing simplicity which was revealed, as well as an innovative marriage of functionality and femininity, the technical and the natural, comfort and romanticism. Loin cloths in raffia, silk cotton skirts coated in white latex, velcro closures, pieces fashioned from first aid blankets, functional pockets, parkas with transparent nylon collars and flaps, transformable pieces, pieces in cotton gauze revealing the "skeletal" structure beneath, medical coats in transparent nylon aluminum... each piece reveals a surprising detail and an unexpected innovation. The allure is romantic but modern, comfortable but protective. The accessories and packaging have been cleverly conceived to be kept and reused. "The accessory becomes important, the ephemeral is rendered permanent. I am not recycling; I am creating a cycle", claims the designer. The collection can be discovered at the Maison Blanche de Castelbajac, which opens its doors on the Place du Marché Saint-Honoré in Paris on January 15th, 1999.
Virginie Transon
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