The circus theme in my mind is not strictly connected with any particular memories from my childhood but with two names, Federico Fellini and Elsa Schiaparelli. The former simply loved circuses and the legend goes that, in the summer of 1927, young Federico ran away with a circus where a clown called Pierino worked. His parents and relatives always denied this story was true, but, for his fans, this was a genuine proof of his fascination with the circus, a theme that often came back in his films.
Elsa Schiaparelli dedicated in the Spring of 1938 a whole collection to the circus theme. Her whole maison was involved in the event: acrobats, clowns and actors played around Schiap’s atelier in place Vendôme; her catwalk show turned into a parade with many outfits worn over leotards and paired with Perugia’s shoes inspired by Venetian footwear, that obliged models to walk as if on stilts. The real importance of the collection wasn’t its presentation but Lesage’s extraordinary circus-inspired embroideries. Even the buttons were inspired by the same theme and were made in the shape of acrobats, trapeze artists, horses, cotton candy and liquorice sticks. The circus look was completed by conical hats that called to mind the traditional clowns’ hats and by Jean Schulemberg’s accessories such as necklaces with acrobats and ostrich-shaped brooches.
Yesterday the circus theme became fashionable again thanks to Manish Arora who presented his collection at Paris’ Cirque d’Hiver. Arora’s previous collections combined contemporary silhouettes with traditional Indian craft methods. The exquisiteness of some of his fabrics was enhanced in his previous creations by intricately woven patterns in vibrant colours that called to mind traditional Indian and Bollywood costumes. The bold colours and craftsmanship of the Indian tradition came back also in the designer’s Spring/Summer 09 collection, though the shapes and silhouettes were borrowed from the Western tradition.
Arora seemed to have taken from Schiaparelli not only the circus theme but a great lesson that the Paris-based Italian designer had learnt from Marcel Duchamp. The artist took ordinary everyday objects and transported them into another dimension, transfiguring their meaning, turning them into works of art. In the same way, Schiaparelli transfigured her creations literally crowding them with figures, shapes and ideas born out of her poetical inspiration, so that her designs contributed to create an extraordinary fable-like world for her clients.
Arora did the same, transfiguring banality and boredom: figures of clowns crowded on shocking pink mini-dresses; coats were painstakingly embroidered; the extravagant ruffles and sleeves of some outfits reminded of clown’s costumes; animal prints and appliqués with tigers and elephants called to mind tales of tamers while his multi-coloured carousel skirt oozed fun, happiness and a great positive energy.
Manish Arora’s new collection gave back to fashion that sense of wonder and merriment the world has by now lost. But don’t think there was no message behind the designer’s vivid palette and fantastic creations: these might not be the warrior women of his Autumn/Winter 08 collection, but, remember, also clowns are powerful creatures who carry out their peaceful but subversive rebellion against society through their ridiculous clothes and loud laughs.
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