“Cut out a square of silk, a big square, a metre thirty by a metre thirty. On the silk, place an orchid, pose it. Draw it, paint it, recreate the precise graduation of colours, the blush on the bloom. There are over thirty shades in your work, requiring over thirty passes through the printing press. You can pose a wave in the same way, or a fish, whatever your dreams of the Far-East inspire. The only condition is that it should be beautiful, that the composition holds. Nothing weak, nothing insipid; you are Leonard.
Unfurl the square; float the silk, fluttering and weightless, sending ripples through the image, the colours. Some bright, some darker, like life. Within the square, or two if necessary, outline a dress, a blouse, trousers, a tie... Or choose not to; outline nothing, let the square exist simply as a scarf. Adorn this printed silk with the body of a woman: that's Leonard.”
The story of Leonard stretches back half a century and follows closely the trajectory of Pucci. Conceived in the same era and worn by the same members of the jet-set, Leonard quietly steers a course through fashion and style without the hype that has surrounded Pucci in the last couple of years.
Although similar in style and look Pucci is full of the abstract while Leonard concentrated on floral and romantic with a touch of orientalism thrown in. If one were to look at a Leonard dress without looking at the label, without hesitation one would assume they were Pucci.
However one has to fine tune one’s eye to notice the differences. Their exuberant prints with Asian inspired floral motifs are a lot more refined than Pucci. . A signature style of weightless silk and colorful prints has become the foundation of the house, with their first caption being, “150 grams of happiness”
Their silks being so divine they were the first non-Japanese house to create a collection of Kimonos for the Japanese market in over 2000 years.
Under the artistic direction of Veronique Leroy, Belgian fashion designer the Asian influence is still strong for this season, however there is a new sensuality with prints that are more abstract and graphic than romantic. This collection seems poised to propel Leonard into a next generation of wearers. Designs have an entirely new character and attitude that is oozing modernity, with references to past collections. The traditional printed orchids and peonies have now been mixed with printed python's skin in geometrical forms, to bring a charismatic side to femininity, not seen for a long time.
“And Leonard is also a family. My two daughters, Nathalie and Virginie, work by my side, along with a dedicated team, all of us together enshrining the creative past and future of our House, artists, painters, stylists, seamstresses... We may be long-established, but we have young talent, and nothing gives me greater pleasure than discovering new treasures created by our novices.
Except perhaps one thing, which gives me even greater pleasure: in the course of an evening, on the street, on the beach, to see Leonard silk worn elegantly by an attractive woman, to see the Leonard orchid, fuchsia, lavender, lemon, golds, mauves and greens alive in a subtle harmony of movement. Subtle and light, as life should be. As it is, with Leonard.”
Daniel Tribouillard, President and Founder.
“Watermelon” rhinestones are multi-hued rhinestone called 'watermelon' because the stones resemble the natural watermelon tourmaline. Green around the edges and bright pink at the center.
Schiaparelli along with her arch nemesis Chanel promoted the use of cocktail jewellery also known as costume jewellery. Production of fine estate style jewellery was halted in the Second World War and America became the leader in designing attractive costume jewellery pieces using advanced technical methods of production making a market that was dynamic, inventive and affordable.
