Robert Abi Nader Couture Spring summer 2011

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« Like a garden…of Eden » was written on the press release… Well, a very sultry and bold garden of Eden! Abi Naders models all strutted solo the full length of the catwalk and back, giving themselves the luxury to take their time, seduce the cameras and show a whole lot of sensual attitude. This gave life and personality to every piece, and inspired an applause for each one from the enthusiastic audience. Set in a giant ballroom hidden away in the back of the Westin Hotel (which used to be the Intercontinental hotel) in Paris’ 1st arrondissment, the show, because it was more a show than a fashion show, kept the audience waiting, like a well manicured lady who’s on her own schedule and not yours, but always worth it.

The collection is as bold as ever, full of flowers and sunlight. The first piece out on the catwalk was a bright yellow flowered floor length gown with an A-symmetrical section at the mid thigh of completely sheer fabric that cut the dress in two parts. And from there the emotion strode out under the stage lights in one surprising piece after another. from reams of rainbow colored with black accents chiffon twirled like sultry fairy wings, to a tight short black cocktail dress with shiny red dots and a lot of poof around the hips, to a fiery red ruffled number, each and every dress had drama.

His gowns were not the only things to have drama. the charcoal-eyed models came striding with an audacious gleam in their eyes and a frighteningly seductive stare. If this was the garden of Eden, then Eve had certainly already eaten that apple, and she was on the hunt for Adam. Models from all backgrounds and colors, each with a different look, I would like to praise Abi Nader for his daring to be different. He had models with bodies and personality. Besides, I couldn’t picture a waif in one of his sulfurous gowns.

This was his first Parisian show in two seasons, and I hope that he plans on returning, because his work has something different that seems to inject the fashion scene with a little seductive danger, that is much needed in the often too-occupied-with-perfection fashion scene of Paris.

Melissa Ladd for Luxsure