PFW – Steffie Christiaens S/S 2013 collection

That feeling of “am I in the right place?” immediately came upon me as I approached Garage Turenne.  One walks through a long dark tunnel and is finally led to the bright white glow of lights, cameras and anticipation.  This venue was well chosen, as it seems to mimic the overall feel for Steffie Christiaens spring/summer 2013 collection: the contrast between light and dark. 

The show opens with a video projection of girls transformed into graceful water nymphs, swimming around in water.  As the video ended, the first model entered the runway – barefoot.  A risky, but ultimately wise decision by Christiaens.

Every piece that came down the runway was pure perfection.  The garments were for the most part airy, but maintained sleek lines and a deep sense of sculpture.  Christiaens’ choice to use clear sequins created the dreamy illusion of a mermaid emerging from the water and onto land.

The stand-out piece of the show was a black bikini cloaked by an ankle-length black veil held up by a round disk on the model’s head.  A sequence of overwhelmingly chic black garments gradually ceased and returned to the original white, pink and soft blue tones.

Christiaens has mastered the art of making aspects of her designs literally pop.  A white pencil skirt featured origami-like elements and was faultlessly balanced with a dusty pink coloured top with voluminous sleeves.

Steffie Christiaens says of her collection, “I imagined a wardrobe for the end of the world – a woman on her last days of Earth.”  She can stop focussing on the end, because her days of being a design superstar are just beginning.

Kat Withseidelin

Watch Steffie Christiaens SS13 presentation here