When I thought of my inspiration for this collection, I thought of the greatness of French art, architecture and creativity, which influenced humankind to her foundation. For nearly three thousand years, one may not separate wine as an integral part of French civilization ingrained in French culture at every level. As art, creativity, and genius are woven into the fabric of what is France, naturally, the French made winemaking an art. From this natural flow of thought came my inspiration for the French art of winemaking. I was inspired to express this muse through the colors of grapes, wine, and the shapes of the grapevine.
The French vineyard is a place of serenity and history; serenity from nature; history from fact. Just as one may not look at a picture of the Eiffel Tower and not think ‘France’! One may also not look at a vineyard anywhere in the world and not think, ‘France’! One may not be separated from the other in the psychic of man. Through a French vineyard well-manicured fields, one may see a variety of textures and a beautiful palette of colors such as red, purple, white, and green.
When I touch the textile, for me it is like touching a grape or a grape-leaf. The grape is strong in texture, beautiful in color and soft in feel. French wine is volume, prestige, and variety style through the variety of grapes. Volume, prestige, quality and variety are four inherent ingredients of my couture. The vineyard’s beauty in uniformity and structure; strength, natural character, and flow of her vines; deepness of her roots; softness and color of her grapes cast against a blue sky inspire me.
As the grapevine’s natural character and flow are uninhibited, I do not use zippers or buttons as they can easily inhibit the natural character and flow of fabric. Just as the grapevine of a French vineyard flows naturally and with volume through the field, my creations flow uninhibited with volume and style to fit naturally so as not to detract from the fabric’s natural architecture. The grapevine does not infringe upon the beauty of the grape but compliments that beauty.
I view fabric through prism of art, creativity, colors and the feel of the fabric. This view is a natural outcome of the fact that I was born into an artistic family studying and performing ballet, acting, folkloric dance, classical piano, painting, and pantomime. When I touch a fabric, I must feel it to my core and communicate with it. This feel is the source of my creativity. If I do not feel a fabric when I touch it, I move to a different fabric.
This collection consists primarily of silks, guipure, velvet & chiffons, and incorporates shapes and looks that are smooth like a grape leaf; strong and structured like the grapevine; and incorporates touches of complex draping like the ripening grapes on the vine. This collection also incorporates arch forms from the vine and lines imitating the long, straight rows of the vineyards.
All paintings and volume accessories, such as grape leaves are hand-made.