Inspired by a tale of timeless romance and a past preserved in time, Paolo Sebastian presents its 2020-21 Autumn / Winter Couture Collection, Heirloom.
The collection follows a young girl’s journey into a realm suspended between reality and dream state after discovering her Great Grandmother’s attic. Upon finding an antique locket hidden within her Great Grandmother’s possessions, the girl uncovers a world that has been hidden from plain sight.
Heirloom pays homage to the grandeur of a bygone era, long forgotten under lock and key.
Creative Director and Designer, Paul Vasileff, said the collection was originally set to showcase in Paris. However, due to the unprecedented implications of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the affiliated mood, the collection had to be rethought.
“I didn’t feel the tone of the initial collection was quite right, it felt too heavy. I wanted to create something lighter, fresher – a collection that would inspire and bring happiness to people during such a trying time.” Vasileff said.
“I decided to redesign the collection, and in doing so, I thought about the notion of dressing up. I’d heard several people talking about using this time to clean out their wardrobes, rummage through attics and clear out old spaces. I liked the idea of revisiting memories and finding old heirlooms.
The story for the campaign stemmed from this – a girl who has stumbled across her Great Grandmother’s attic and is sorting through her vintage coats, dresses and jewellery. She’s having fun dressing up in them, being playful and dreaming about what it would have been like in their glory days.”
Featuring a delicately colour palette, soft hues of Bois de Rose are playfully juxtaposed against Piombo grey. Romantic silhouettes and fitted corsets are a nod to the golden majesty of the early 1900s. Re-envisaged for modernity, couture pieces are light and airy, capturing the ideals of transcendent love, nostalgic beauty and connection to another time and place.
Drawing inspiration from the fragility of a precious heirloom, gowns in French tulle and Chantilly lace are adorned with frayed edge and velvet ribbon detailing. Playful skirts and draped crinkle chiffon encapsulate the wonders of the imagination, bringing magic to life in this whimsical collection.
“The collection references the early 1900’s with silhouettes that are a nod to a bygone era. Designs have been re-envisioned into lighter, easy-to-wear, modern pieces with romantic, muted colour tones.”
Stand out pieces include a double-breasted virgin wool coat with pleated back and the ethereal ball gown, illuminated with silk organza cutwork. Symbolising an all-encompassing and everlasting love, the ‘hearts on fire’ gown is illuminated with hand-embroidered locket motifs whilst the mesmerising ruffle dress features one-hundred metres of tulle in exaggerated layers.
Heirloom is reminiscent of an opulent world that pulls at the heartstrings, illustrating the labels dedication to artisanal detail and eternal elegance.
Find out more at www.paolosebastian.com
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