Life Is Beautiful

If someone were to arrive from outer space and hear you talking about creativity, colour, fashion and even love, how would you explain when asked, what they are? Maybe just sit them down in front of Roksanda’s latest collection shown at the ‘Black Chapel’ designed by Theaster Gates in The Serpentine London, where the very essence of life, death, colour and creativity collided. Read more here in Life Is Beautiful Here

Creativity is defined as the ability to generate ideas, and alternatives, within the solving of problems, that then emancipate. Some creatives are driven with no choice like a most beautiful burden, the creativity has to come out, and with it, the world is healed just that little bit more.

All images ©Chris Yates/ Chris Yates Media

So then what is colour? What we actually see with our eyes is the white light that makes of many different colours. Made up of three primary colours red, green and blue. They can be combined in different ways to make every other colour with the possibilities endless. Basically, our eyes only detect these three colours but by combining these we can perceive many different colours.

Colour has energy and frequency, we are after all just bunches of energy and colours are no different. For example, higher frequencies of light as blue or violet, and lower frequencies of light are red and orange. Green light sits somewhere in the middle.

And finally, how can you describe fashion to an outsider? Clothes that cover our bodies but are worn in a form of self-expression, individualism, a form of emotional communication and a show of creativity from both the maker and the wearer. But the who and why of the clothes is what decides if it is just clothing or if it is popular or interesting enough to be fashion.

If you want to see all the above in play then see the newest collection by British-based Designer Roksanda. This season’s show was dedicated to her father who had recently passed away and it was as if we were being witnesses to her contemplation on life itself. From darkness to light from monochrome to rainbow brights.

Centre stage was the symbol of the rose. Mythical symbolism this flower travels through life with us, from births to weddings, and finally death. Lightness of touch, colour and silhouette all played out with rose-like constructions made with Organza, Silk Satin, Recycled Polyester Taffeta and Sandwashed Silk Satin. Some shapes like abstract flowers, ones that never stopped growing; as if refusing to be framed within only the basic rose shape.

Darkness played its part too with cloud-like constructions in black, slim, graphically sharp tailoring and dresses with black ribbons cascading from the back, like an emotionally resonating umbilical cord, bringing the past to the future.

Tailoring and outerwear echoed masculinity whilst dresses and draping and scarves celebrated the feminine, work and play meeting around soft and hard edges of suiting crafted in lightweight Wool and Linen.

Printmaking weaved its way through the collection. Scrunched fabrics were painted over so once opened out, broken patterns emerged via folds and crushes bringing texture.

Many outfits large-shaped, yet the body was always present, an arm a slither of the back, a high neckline, the voluminous fabrications twisted but still utterly feminine.

And then the colour. It’s her signature and like the colours of Matisse, she is a brilliant colourist. Roksanda understands the power of colour the emotion of colour and its impact but most of all how to use it to best effect, whether layering blocking or pairing.

Here it was trimmed more often than not, with black or this darkest tone layered under outfits playing its role in the saddest of emotions. But the colour as ever, vital, alive and a reminder of life itself. Outfits were finished off with Abstract hats, exaggerated interpretations of the collections’ construction, designed by Noel Stewart. Footwear by Acupuncture in soft Napa leather heightened with signature colours throughout.

The colours from Black, Ivory and softest Rose Pink held more gravitas via shots of Orange, Carmine, Coral, Crimson, Daffodil, Elderflower, Forest, Fuschia, Lime, Merlot, Orchid, Peony Stone, and Sunflower. This vivid brightness vital to bringing a rounded collection tied to her past but also her future.

A stunning coalition of emotions via shape structure colour and construction. Graphic, abstract, draped, fitted to flowing. Bursting with craft, creativity, colour, divine fashion and love. Like a sonnet in clothes to her father, one that was pretty perfect as a personal reflection of someone she obviously dearly loved.

Now to explain a sonnet to that visitor from outer space.

Find out more at Roksanda.com Here

If you enjoyed reading All In Beautiful then why not read Sound in Situ Here

.Cent Magazine London, Be Inspired; Get Involved