The Bite Magazine - Spring 2016 - Issue 15

Kaviar Gauche Using the iris as inspiration for their bridal collection for 2016, Fiona James discovers more about Kaviar Gauche’s latest offering that is reminiscent of the Belle Époque. S ome designers starting out in the fashion game have the privilege of showing their first collections at established fashion weeks or even lesser established ones, depending on which country they reside in or are invited to. However, Kaviar Gauche which launched in 2004 decided to do a guerrilla fashion show in front of Colette department store in Paris to launch their first collection. This well thought out plan provided them with the recognition that they needed and they went on to become one of the most successful and internationally renowned German fashion labels. Its founders Alexandra Fischer-Roehler and Johanna Kühl both graduated from Esmod Berlin, the International University of Art for Fashion and established a label that oozes understated elegance, graceful design and contrasting elements as well as being a label that represents ‘modern glamour made in Germany’. Now over ten years since they launched, Kaviar Gauche can count Heike Makatsch, Florence Welch and Rosie Huntington-Whitely among their high-profile celebrity fans. Using the red-carpet looks of their prèt-à-porter collections as inspiration, Kaviar Gauche has created new bridal collections every year since 2009 under the name of Kaviar Gauche Bridal Couture, which are availa- ble at their flagship stores in Munich and Berlin. Both stores decorated with cham- pagne-coloured walls, ivory-coloured wooden floors and a combination of decorative and mirrored elements are said to represent the design concept of the fashion label and provide a gateway into the world of Kaviar Gauche. Here you’ll find organic shapes that dominate the space and beautiful floral elements offering a contrast to the modern interi- ors as well as the highlight of the store: a tree sculpture made of polished stainless steel with bridal dresses hanging from the sculpture like delicate leaves. It was at the Paris Fashion Week last year that Kaviar Gauche presented their White Iris bridal couture collection for 2016. Using the floral element of nature as the theme, the designers used the iris, a delicate and striking blossom that combines mystic and earthly quality and a symbol of creativity and true love as inspiration. Also named after a Greek goddess, Iris is the personification of the rainbow and messenger of the gods. Throughout the collection, you’ll find reference to the iris in all 22 of their exclusively ivory coloured pieces includ- ing their key piece: the White Iris Dress where the flower is found in the opulent skirt volume showcasing the bride’s innocence, lightness and uniqueness.The French fabric Plissé is used in some of the dresses to replicate the fragile vena- tions of the blossom and provides an especially fine structured ruffling of the material.The iris is also embroidered on tulle as well as several collection pieces made through painstaking couture crafts- manship which allows them to shine in inimitable elegance. Other materials used in the collection include chiffon, organza and silk tulle. You may notice that the cut and shape of the collection are reminiscent of the Belle Époque at the turn of the century, in a time of seismic cultural shifts. The dresses feature Victorian corsetry, com- bining the exquisite materials of the bourgeoisie with transparent silhouettes in bohemian style. One of the designs, the high-necked Innocent Iris Dress with its bitefashion White Iris Bridal