Limelight: Flowers on the catwalk By Lubna Abdel Aziz The Chinese define a book as "a garden carried in a pocket". The French see the garden on our backs. To survive "the slings and arrows" we need, among other things smiles to energize us and clothes to protect us. Smiles soften the blows, highlighting human values and virtues. Clothes tell the world who we are, where we come from and sometimes what stuff we are made of -- pun not intended. To war or not to war is out of our hands. To wear or what to wear is in the hands of the great lords of fashion. Generation after generation, season after season, the question remains what is fashionable, what is new, what is elegant. Many admire the worthless and extol the commonplace. Others possessing a more cultivated taste opt for divine simplicity. It is futile to expect uniformity in taste, but beauty and elegance go hand in hand, and most voices applaud talent that is unmistakable. Elegance remains the catch word in fashion and we take pains in seeking what is truly excellent, what is truly elegant. To counter sombre moods of fear and dread, the powers that be in the fashion world have decided to offer an antidote to soothe our shattered nerves. Taking their cue from Christopher Marlowe: "I will make thee beds of roses", they came up with the answer. The answer is flowers. Everything is coming up roses, and every other flower you can think of in fashion's directory. Spring flowers are blooming everywhere on every runway from London to Paris, Milan all the way across the ocean to New York. A stroll around the major Couture Houses of the fashion capitals finds a fragrant aroma of blooming gardens in the air on every fabric, every salon, every runway. Maison Chanel, under the tutelage of veteran fashion guru Karl Lagerfeld has revamped 'Mademoiselle's look by catering to a younger clientèle. Their skirt lengths range from above to way above the knee. The elegant little jacket has a flower or two on the shoulder or the bodice and more flowers on a printed dress or A-line skirt. Pink flowers everywhere aim to lure their devoted customer, and put them back on top where they have been the last two decades. Flowers again figure strongly in the Valentino collection. Mr V pushed aside the thoughts of dreaded conflicts and showered us with April blossoms and sweet May flowers. His saucy floral creations of sexy silks are both sweet and seductive with diaphanous flowing scarves covering pretty bare backs. Dignified socialites will find their usual classic little chic suits in black or ivory, two colours that are right for all seasons. A flower on the collar will add that touch of spring, but a spring hat is de riguer, even if you have never worn one. All salons have gone wild over spring hats, sprouting flowers of every kind from tiny pansies to oversized sunflowers. Bouquets of flowers adorn every hat, refreshing reminders of the supreme beauty this earth has to offer. Christian La Croix is among the younger leading designers who command attention with every collection. He received a standing ovation with his recent collection, a flower display on the catwalk, radiating sunshine over wintry Paris skies with his palette of flaming colours. A theatre enthusiast, La Croix injects the dramatic in every collection. He mixes his modern concepts with traditional ideas, with soft fluid fabrics that cling to curvaceous young bodies. La Croix's gay and frivolous designs display roses, roses and more roses. His women are happy, erotic, seductive and even a little "impertinent". He brings yards and yards of the delicate lace of his native Arles to complete the romance of springtime magic. His plumed heads are large with fluff and feathers, sweet bonbons and tender petals dancing in the spring sunshine. One of the world's most influential designers, Emmanuel Ungaro was able to steal the thunder this season with his Belle Epoque collection, evoking sweet memories of elegance, serenity and sexy femininity. The son of an Italian tailor who immigrated to France from Brindisi, Italy, Ungaro works with meticulous details of a conscientious tailor. Already famous for his summer floral prints, Ungaro has gone a step farther and applied blooming flowers everywhere even on his model's pretty faces. His huge droopy hats, looking more like floral wedding arrangements are highlighted with net and tulle, with roses, carnations, camelias, and lilacs tucked underneath. His bias cuts, satins, undefined hemlines and waistlines are clingy and slinky in hues of orange, plum, mauve, and every shade of rose. Haute couture fashion shows are as much about serious fashion trends as they are about frivolous show- business. The most pleasing show of shows this season was Galliano's for Maison Dior, starring the young rebel of the industry, John Galliano. For a supporting cast, he travelled to the Far East for an authentic Kabuki show with exotic fabrics, dragons, acrobats, legendary creatures of the underworld, phantasmagoric visions. His spectacular pageants of kung fu warriors, and gentle geisha girls delighted his unsuspecting spectators. His giant coloured plumes and giant appliquéd roses bloom all over from hair to shoulders to sleeves to skirts. His mysterious Asian players thrilled clients, retailers and editors, so did his feminine sexy alluring creations. Daisies on neatly coiffed hairdos seemed ready to be plucked to adorn etched crystal vases. London runways displayed nostalgia for 50s hip-hop styles. New York unveiled bias-cut and wrap around pastels, and Italy's enthusiasm was reserved for the mini and the mini mini. Already forty years old, the mini entered the realm of fashion through the backdoors of London's Soho during 1960s. It was given the respectable nod of approval by Haute Couture houses and now it is back, bigger, or rather smaller than ever, and even the House of Chanel has given it Mademoiselle's blessings. In conclusion, if you have a slinky silk floral print you will be flying high this spring. Add a hat with dozens of flowers and get a trendy trench coat to cover bare legs in micro-minis. If ample curves make the clingy look undesirable, the gypsy look is a safe alternative. Big flowering skirts with blossoming floral tops, puffy sleeves and embroidery touches are pleasingly easy to wear. Dangling gypsy earrings smothered in beads and strappy sandals are both comfortable and stylish. Wild hair, windblown and messed up, completes the gypsy look. Throw away your studs and glitters, but keep your animal prints. They are still stylish, adorned with feathers and furs. Sporty looks are also in. Japanese kimonos are a big inspiration over pencil pants, and off the shoulder blouses are simple, sensual and chic. In short, anything goes from mysterious Asian dances to Mediterranean sand and surf. More important to remember than what to wear is what NOT to wear. What not to wear any season is too much of anything. Less is indeed more, and style is always a matter of less. Fashion sense should be effortless yet refined and disciplined. Wear one fashion item, not all at once, and remember dress to flatter your body and enhance your looks. If you must have a spring item, a bouquet of flowers on a spring frock will cheer you up and welcome the spring season in style. If you are superbly groomed, your clothes immaculately clean and pressed, you will be perfectly appealing and perfectly chic even in last year's wardrobe. One last point -- An old Chinese folk tale recounts of noble guests bearing great gifts for their emperor. "What do you bring me?" the emperor asked a humble-looking stranger. "I bring you flowers and smiles" replied the stranger. "Then" said the emperor "you bring me the best gift of all." Wear a smile -- it can make flowers bloom all year round. It can make all that is old new again!
