ALLURE ARISTO CHIC

Inspirations
Economic difficult times stimulate the desire to live the highest possible standards, with the excellent and exquisite couture allure and luxurious materials only royalty and high society can normally afford; a dignified and stylish atmosphere with gala and formal dressing for official events, audiences and receptions; high tea in the afternoon; inspiration from the old aristocrats and today’s nobility; echoes of dandyish, Bohemian richness and the royal couture of 30ies, 40ies and 50ies complete the atmosphere. Still there are inspirations from the 20ies and from Art Deco and Art Nouveau.

Colors and Fabrics
Colors in different ranges, certainly not loud; discrete classics, darks and saturated Bohemians. Fabrics are more important: highest quality and best endurance; velvets, velour, silks, (less satins), majestic damasks, jacquards and tapestry, brocades and quilted fabrics, compact woolen weavings, luxurious knits and crochets; exquisite laces (in outerwear too) with royal large motives; leavers, ‘guipure’, chantilly; real furs like mink, mohair, pashmina, and real jewelry here and there; less opulence, more (hidden) luxury; double-layers of costly lace and weavings for coats. Poiret roses, gobelin and furniture motives.
Embroideries, 3D  braid trimmings. For bodyfashion chic, noble 3D laces and embroideries; elegant and beautiful Art Nouveau motives;
Layers of different lace and embroidery.

Silhouettes
They have ‘royal’ class and allure; besides dresses (often long in this theme), coats are becoming very important. Spacious, sometimes with architectural shapes, also very sleek and strict, almost like uniforms. Large widely shaped collars; with a royal couture-like appeal; millstone collars; short capes and  pelerines are part of the silhouette, and here too you find discrete balloon shapes. ‘Tailor-made’ chic two-piecers; large inserts and parts of ‘costly’ laces, combined with wovens in one silhouette; fur edging and fur accents, border decoration. Homewear is very ‘aristo’ chic in 2007 and comes in long soft, luxurious, knitted royal robes, dresses and gowns, with sophisticated accents like above.

Legwear
Hosiery  in this theme is often super sheer, or silky and refined; here and there discrete placed motives or an almost invisible print or effect; lace prints.