Simply Abu Dhabi XXII

waist, giving his models a very curvaceous form. The new look revolutionised women's dress and re-established Paris as the centre of the fashion world after the Second World War. Dior’s spring/summer collection sees Raf Simons, Artistic Director of Christian Dior, strip away inessential elements to concentrate on a purity of line and precision in technique. His inspiration for the collection was the horizon – a clean and clear naturalistic line of beauty, looking from the past into the expanse of the future; perhaps influenced by his decision to leave Dior to focus on his own brand after this last collection? “I wanted the collection to have a purity to it,” says Simons. “To simplify and concentrate on a line that expressed an idea of femininity, fragility and sensitivity without sacrificing strength and impact; there might be a simplicity in how the collection looks, but it is extremely complex in terms of technique. There are literal layers of the past, from the Victorian-style underwear layered under the transparent bias cut dresses and the Bar jackets and rough knits, but for me it still all feels oddly futuristic and strangely romantic. Like this woman is about to travel through space and time.” Simons is a designer who likes to bring edge and precision to pretty. And this collection certainly does that. Delicate scalloped cotton cami-knickers and matching chemise tops, fastened at the side with bars of cute buttons, are the base on which he has layered his ideas, reworking each one with scientific rigour. A series of cropped rough-hewn Shetland knits layered over sheer bias cut dresses and feminine silk minis fuse femininity and masculinity beautifully. At once sensual and disciplined, feminine and masculine, classic and contemporary – the pieces come together to form a new, softer ideal of futurism in the collection. Feminine andmasculine tailoring unite to create sharp, three-piece pinstriped wool suits , horizontal duchesse pink and cream satin striped parkas and a more sensuous cut of military style jackets – one embroidered with sequined flowers and bunched chiffon. Traditional, complex pleating techniques find form not only in silk dresses, giving short A-line skirts a more girly look, but also in the fluttering hems of tailored jackets and parkas and to the classic Bar jacket in black wool, dropping and flaring prettily from the waist. The largely soft palette of the collection also lets the accessories shine. Bags come in crushed silver and bronze metallic or bright indigo and crimson. Simple jewelled silver chokers are centralised around circular semi-precious discs and tied with sugary pink ribbon perfectly encapsulating the femininity and fragility on which Simons based this collection. 2 6 9 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I