OSCAR CARVALLO

4 Collection in One

By Ford Leland

Paris, France – Feathers flew as Oscar Carvallo released a flock of haute couture fowl onto his Winter 2013 runway in Paris this summer. Jumping from copper and black to blue and silver, this collection jetted back and forth between a variety of cuts like the diverse machines of a Parisian airshow. While certain pieces flew with grace, the spectacle as a whole left the audience searching for a lacking sense of cohesion.

OSCAR CARVALLO

It must be noted that Mr. Carvallo is an absolutely talented creator who deserves a particular respect for his imagination, playful attitude, and ability to make creative use of non-traditional fabrics. His last collection carried a confident air of unique perspective that was well appreciated. However, as is a common need for many highly intelligent designers, he would have greatly benefitted from the application of an editing eye this season and perhaps an outside perspective prior to his commitment to such a broad range of ideas. The central theme was strong, and in fact, so were many of the concepts. However, within this one set of 37 pieces there were foundations for at least 4 different collections.

The strongest of these foundations were two dresses in matte black neoprene with copper elastic banding and prints. Though many other looks held interest, they often had a little too much going on. These neoprene pieces really set a modern tone, carrying just the right amount of embellishment, without getting lost in too many over-stimulating textures or complicated cuts.

While it would never be appropriate for him to lose his aptitude for optimistic exploration, there needs to be a balance in the future. Combining his virtuoso with time spent developing one idea further so as to escape the too-literal nature of this season’s chicken feet will be a worthwhile investment. With high expectations for his capabilities, we look forward to seeing what he imagines for next season.