A Runway on Deck
2011 Pierre Cardin Fashion Show Tianjin
At the beginning of May the renowned French fashion brand Pierre Cardin will launch its 2011 collection of new products on the aircraft carrier Kiev in the gentle sea breeze of the Tianjin Binhai Aircraft Carrier Theme Park. The clamour of music and resplendent colours of the event will fill the sea air with a taste of fashion.
Since the early 1980s, when the Pierre Cardin brand became the first in its field to enter the Chinese market, each of its appearances in China have been breathtaking: from the air of antiquity of the corner tower of a city wall to the far-reaching golden sands of the desert at Dunhuang; from the beautiful scenes of a park lake to a modern art museum. For this occasion Mr Pierre Cardin has chosen to hold the 2011 show of the Pierre Cardin brand on a decommissioned aircraft carrier; the theme of the show is the “Peace Carrier”. Mr Pierre Cardin hopes that such a fashion event, which has adopted peace as its theme, will be able to awaken those regions in the world that are for the moment unstable and perhaps even grant their peoples a moment of peace.
Coincidentally, the abbreviation of the Peace Carrier is identical to the abbreviation of the Pierre Cardin brand itself – PC. Mr Pierre Cardin is an Honorary Ambassador of UNESCO, and the Pierre Cardin brand has a wonderful affinity with peace.
The show will open with a series of space-age themed clothes, in which a futuristic atmosphere is created through the use of luminous silver materials; patent leather materials are also used repeatedly. The launch of this series is tightly bound to the concept of the soldier, an element which is present from the music to the props that are used in the show. The combination of soldiers and fashion embodies the design concept’s marriage of hard and soft qualities. In addition, an element of cool is present throughout and appears in a combination of black lines, futuristic props and a suggestion of a street punk style, which will give the audience a sense of the tough beauty of the opening collection. The highlights of this collection are accessories containing elements of details from automobiles, such as necklaces modelled on tyres and the application of elements of racing car steering wheels to pieces of clothing. According to Fang Fang, Pierre Cardin’s chief representative in China, this event will debut these accessories, which are the latest additions to the brand’s collection.
The second series of clothing to be shown at the event emphasises tailored pieces containing elements of the Pierre Cardin design style: simple design and bold colours. This series, which forms the second section of the show, is also a focal point of the entire programme.
More than 100 outfits will be modelled, among which we will see the use of classic Pierre Cardin circular design elements in numerous items, such as formal gowns, jackets, long skirts, waistcoats and men’s suits. In addition, the use of colour in the collection preserves Pierre Cardin’s bold and pure style.
Although the proportion of men’s fashion modelled throughout the entire show does not exceed 40%, it is frequently emphasised in the second section of the programme. Firstly, a colour scheme of earth tones highlights 2011 colour trends for men. Casual styles and natural fabric textures also emphasise the focal points of Pierre Cardin’s trends for men’s fashion in 2011. In addition, another core element of trends in men’s clothing is the wide-leg trouser. The designer has increased the width of trouser legs in both formal and casual trousers, which visually creates a more pendulous effect and highlights comfort and functionality.
Women’s fashion forms a substantial proportion of the show. Key trend words that should be highlighted are: chiffon, prints, elegance and flowing. These elements correspond entirely with international fashion trends for this season. Long chiffon dresses with large print designs, paired with petite denim jackets and flat sandals or sports shoes are all good choices. With extremely brilliant designs and vivid colours, the soft, flowing effects of the designs bring vivacity to those who wear them. When the final series of formal gowns are modelled, a large number of elegant and flowing gowns will appear and meet the gentle sea breeze and the beautiful sight of long swaying skirts will come into view on the aircraft carrier Kiev. The music at this point will become gradually softer and more cheerful, so that the rhythm of the entire event will become progressively more harmonious and uplifting.
For this show in China, Mr. Pierre Cardin has personally designed and created over 20 formal gowns. Of these gowns, 6 wedding dresses will appear in the finale of the event to convey his heartfelt wishes for world peace, through the use of the harmonious beauty of the wedding and the colour white.
A helicopter will land between the many jets that form the background of the runway, from which a female model wearing a red dress will make a breathtaking appearance. She will walk straight up to Mr. Pierre Cardin, seated at the head of the runway, to take a curtain call together. This will bring to an end the fashion voyage of the Peace Carrier, held on the runway of the deck of the aircraft carrier Kiev against a background of fighter jets.
In a show of 160 outfits and over 100 models, the Pierre Cardin brand will again present an outstanding performance for us to appreciate its masterful bearing.