EDITORIAL
FEATURES
Designer profile
NORISOL
FERRARI photography Sylvain Blais, Styling Kathia Cambron
Our encounter with NewYorkdesigner Norisol Ferrari in her fashion studio was a great moment,surrounded by so much to see: her talent,her strength,her vision,all of which was on display at new York fashion week. Now she’s about to complete her first movie,where you dive more fully into her universe.What a genius way to pass along the fashion experience.In her studio,among her closest entourage, we exchange a few words. By Kathia Cambron
I
am a chameleon. I’ve done … i’ve had so many different looks, like hair… hair to me is like shoes, I change them often. I’m not attached to anything any idea of what my hair should be.
‘Mistress’ suit; leather jacket with lace-up back detail and pants NoriSol ferrAri, available at the New York Atelier, www. norisolferrari.com, or by appointment 646-524-6126. earrings in 18K white gold, diamonds and black onyx DiAMiNi at Birks. 925 silver thread ring CAroliNe SAVoie Jewelry.
We definitely see that you love, you have a strong Hollywood glamour fascination and I was not surprised you were working on a film project because you are so cinema graphic. How did that come into your life? I think that the love of cinema came from Drama and beauty. It was important for us to Channel 13 which used to show black and white movies late at night and on the talk to you today because our next edition is about drama and we thought it was a great fit weekends. I was completely enthralled. I’m talking 2, 3, 4, 5 years old, I was to have you there. absolutely taken by all the darkness in I would do anything in the world for black and white film and how much most of my life to not be described in excitement could occur from seeing that way but I finally have accepted nothing at all. You were waiting. The thrill that is exactly who I am. Yes, drama, it’s was just “What’s coming around the all there. corner?!” and how little you saw women’s You have also a very unique way to stage your flesh if you will but yet clothes seemed to work. Do you think fashion is in the new era fit them as though it were their skin. They presenting more like an art performance when seemed to … costumes seemed to do you do your show? something that wasn’t logical, they I think every single artist has this curse seemed like magic. How could you do which is you feel you have to do better that? How was that done? And I think that than the last thing you did. You feel you question has led me to this moment. How have to reinvent what it is you’ve taken do you do that? I wanted to know how did an enormous amount of time to master, they create these garments. I continue to and you now have to master it again in ask that question every day because there a new way. I think that’s the curse of are so many techniques and so many anyone who creates things. It’s a curse ways to make beautiful clothing. That led I think writers probably feel the same me to be sort of religious about producing way. I’d say it’s the curse of the creative to the highest scale and the highest of person. It’s not without a team though. quality within my abilities. But then as we You can’t do this by yourself and you started photographing it and showing it need people to look at you and say, and I see it in editorials and I see it on my “That’s a stupid idea!” customers and then I began to realize that
PRESS
REAL WOMEN: Norisol Ferrari opted for curvy real woman with classic proportions for her show Monday morning opting for legends Carol Alt, Alva Chinn, Carmen Dell’Orefice and Karen Bjornson for her runway. She wasn’t the only one to go with the veterans, though: later that day, Marimekko had Dell’Orefice, Alt and Pat Cleveland.
Norisol Ferrari’s line was a walk down the past to the 40′s style Glamourwood era. The colors and fabrics were reminiscent of past Hollywood style you would see the stars of yesteryear wearing as they were being shot on the town or at events. Speaking of Hollywood glamour, Carmen Dell’Orefice, the 81 year old model walked in the show and showed the young women that age is just a number and glamour and class transcends youth and inexperience!
For the past five days, we’ve been seeing the same familiar teenage faces pout their way down the runway, show after show. So it’s refreshing to see a designer buck the trend and cast women aho may just be (gasp!) around the same age as their customer. Norisol Ferrari did just that at her show yesterday morning, sending icons like Carol Alt, Alva Chinn, and Carmen Dell’Orefice down the catwalk amidst some of the fresher faces. The industry vets were a huge hit with the crowd, especially since they didn’t just do the old walk-turnrepeat favored by most designers these days. Chinn, for her part, sashayed leisurely down the runway, stopping to strike a seductive pose or two along the way. The silver-coiffed Dell’Orefice, too, interrupted her walk to elegantly mug for the cameras, eliciting much hooting and hollering from the audience. It was a lot of enthusiasm coming from a crowd consisting largely of Upper East Side types. But then, these were definitely clothes for the confident, mature, and above all sophisticated woman. There was a definite femme fatale vibe to the collection, which included seaside separates paired with oversized hats, trim neutral pieces, and sweeping evening gowns. And while we’re not sure we quite possess the attitude to pull off the saucer-sized chapeaux, we have no doubt Dell’Orefice and crew would put today’s street style stars to shame under one of the toppers.
If you’ve been following Lucire’s Twitter feed, you’ll know our Angela Gilltrap had a fantastic time at Norisol Ferrari, whose collection based itself on blacks, whites, greys and caramel—a consequence of the designer’s upbringing around black-and-white television. The collection, which Ferrari says is best embodied by Eartha Kitt because of her sensuality and elegance, found its inspiration in the streets of New York—and one New York legend, 81-year-old model Carmen dell’Orefice, walked her runway wearing a caramel gown. Carol Alt, another native New Yorker, also walked Ferrari’s spring runway.
On September 10, 2012, I attended Norisol Ferrari’s Spring 2013 show and was blown away. As it’s designed for the spring season, the collection is a departure from the beautiful furs and outerwear that we think of when we think of Norisol. While expertly tailored, the collection is light and airy. The garments—including fitted, 1940s-inspired dresses, suiting and a breathtaking floor-length evening coat—have movement. The show was styled perfectly, from the Kentucky Derby–worthy hats to the gorgeous cat-eye glasses. Each model wore a tasteful assortment of diamonds and walked the runway in classic Manolo Blahniks, which in some cases added pops of red, gold and green to the neutral palette. From MartyParty’s soundtrack to model casting that included Carmen Dell’Orefice and Carol Alt, the show was flawlessly executed. The collection is sexy, elegant and designed with practical details for real women’s bodies. And it’s diverse enough to take care of my entire Spring/Summer wardrobe.