cirque du soleil | marc jacobs ss 2010

{Do listen to Christina Aguilera’s “(Welcome) Enter the Circus” in the background; it is quite instrumental (no pun intended) in enhancing your reading of this particular post.}

{ marc jacobs, spring/summer 2010 }

{click; the music is quite instrumental (no pun intended) to the reading of this particular post: Enter the Circus | Christina Aguilera }

I’ve never been a massive fan of Marc Jacobs shows. Or even a fan at all, however blasphemous the very statement must be to the high-and-mighty fashion world and blogosphere we all adoringly look up to. Bi-annually, during Fashion Week, I would skim over his runway presentations. Quirky and quaint were never quite the adjectives I were attracted to, quite honestly. The pieces, individually, were quite beautiful and humorous – blouse or short would seamlessly integrate itself into any wardrobe, a new bag making a lovely spring statement piece hung across the shoulders or clutched in the hand.

Yet the show, however big it was in the industry, never quite cut it for me. I’m a fan of Marc Jacobs himself, and his designs. But the  s t y l i n g  of the shows never showcased the clothes to their true potential until seen individually.

Enter Fashion Week’s runway shows of  spring/summer 2010.

It literally took my breath away.

Which meant that the swooning was inevitable, as was the I die.

Marc Jacobs truly has mastered the art of humor and light-heartedness in his designs. Airy, effortless, yet all the while structured. The ruffles, instead of the archetypal fluffy romantic bits, were architectural. Sorbet washes of colors made every piece absolutely sweet and delicieux, reminiscent of the circuses of years passed: classic clowns, flying trapezes, acrobatic dancers, cotton candy, and all. Still, there is a subtle hint at modernism despite the baroque ruffles; metallic bags and shimmering fabrics barely touched upon the futuristic references of just a few seasons ago. The collection was indeed a fantastic, if not brilliant, juxtaposition of the Old World and the new, capturing the very essence, the very magic, and the very fascination of le cirque.

Now onto the presentation itself: absolutely, undoubtedly impeccable.

The makeup artist could have gone with the traditional clown/circus makeup: white face paint, red, heart-shaped lips, lined eyes. It would have worked in conjunction to the collection and Marc’s usual frivolity in his shows. Yet here the makeup was taken a step further: clown paint gone sophisticated. Dramatic winged liner, shimmer (with green duochrome) on the lid and brow-bone, matte ruby lips, and powdered faces created a gorgeous effect. When completed with the hair, a tight chignon reminiscent of my ballerina days, the overall effect was clean, sophisticated, and just beautiful. The styling of the pieces into a complete runway look was smooth; none of the pieces jarred with each other, nor with the shoes and accessories given. It possessed the seamless quality of the Louis Vuitton presentations, upgrading its runway show from quirky to refined and whimsical.

Five stars, mes chéris, with a cherry on top.

♥

bisous,

La C.