French fashion brand Pierre Cardin launched its fall-winter 2009/10 collection with an eye-catching event at D Park 751 Power Square, Beijing. The show, Chateau LaCoste, was a tribute to Marquis de Sade, the French writer of pornography and philosophy.
His writings gave rise to the term sadism, so the clothes had a strong S&M theme. The first part, Revolutionary Road, was dominated by red and black. Many of the items worn by the models were wrapped in black cloth reminiscent of bondage scenes, their skirts and dresses adorned with black, white and red tape. The slim-cut menswear also contained dark red thorn patterns, all linked to the theme of love-struck pain .
Grey was the dominant color of the second section, conveying the social environment in de Sade's day.
This part of the show focused on casual wear, highlighted by the men's exaggerated capes and cloaks. The show made the point that such cloaks linked the exaggerated palace clothes of the past with the collared shirts and suits of today. Models also took to the runway in jeans, knitted blouses and T-shirts.
The final part of the show featured 50 red and black dresses for special occasions. The men's were in the style that the Marquis would have worn and the women's, mostly made out of oriental silk, stressed dignity, elegance and mysterious beauty. The combination of V-shaped knitted blouses and shirts was innovative, wild and free.
The best was saved for last. A model, wearing a black evening dress with thorny feathers, slowly walked to the center of the T-stage, iron chains in hand and followed by five half-naked muscular male models, who were chained to her. They were in typical S&M gear: tight black leather trousers, bracelets, boots and studded dog collars, showing male power and beauty.
The S&M theme contained a delightful paradox, celebrating the free spirit shown by the men who dressed up and made up, despite the chains that tied them down. To some, de Sade is the most infamous writer in French literature but others hail him as "the freest spirit who has ever existed". In that regard, the show left me with an abiding memory: a person can be as free with their choice of clothes as in their most intimate moments.
