By Marcellous L. Jones
(TheFashionInsider.com)

February 28, 2008


Paris , France – Starting over in the fashion business is risky business. However, that is exactly what French fashion house Emanuel Ungaro today. Taking center stage at the occasion on a day that saw heavyweights Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld and Givenchy all present, Ungaro needed to make a lasting impression in order to reload and jumpstart anew its primarily line.

Anticipation at the Caroussel du Louvre was extremely high as Esteban Cortazar, the house’s new artistic director presented his first collection. Many were the questions already asked before the start of the fashion show, but what would the answers reveal about the house’s future?

Cortazar, 23, began the show with his asymmetrically cut skirts and blouses. We find a great number of one-shouldered tops and dresses throughout the collection. One such silhouette which stands out is his single shouldered, sleeveless dress. The fabric, which rises from the back on one side and from the bust on the other side, races towards the right shoulder where they meet and form a beautiful flower which seemingly holds the dress to the fragile body of the model who wore it.

The Colombian born, American designer put endless amounts of volumes into the sleeves of his tops. Other pieces in the collection also have giant, voluminous collars. He threw in cashmere and knits as well as if to bring a seasonal balance to the collection. Ironically enough, the one knit dress in pink with grey details was the less spectacular of all, yet it poses the potential to be the safest commercial bet of the entire collection.

Overall, there is a sense of pleasure felt when seeing the collection. A great deal of promise is also...

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