It is clear to see the origins of Assoulin’s inspirations, that of the work of American ceramic artist Betty Woodman. Famous for her deconstructed vessels of feminine silhouettes with their vivid abstract glazes Woodman’s work is free-spirited and her palette is vividly reminiscent of small pastel villages cascading down the coastal hillsides of Italy. Assoulin has taken some of Woodman’s more traditional vase shapes and reinterpreted them using raffia into handbags, also employing this unconventional material to make that fabulous golden apricot tiered skirt.
It is that quintessential Mediterranean colour palette of emerald, lemon, terracotta, sage, rose and siren red, with that elegant sense of structure that is so signature to Rosie Assoulin. Tiered fabrics flair out, boxy pants, tied waists and shoulders, cascading decadent yardages, plunging necklines and bare shoulders that are demure but vivacious. With concealed zippers to add or remove layers of frills these outfits can easily shift from day to night.
The antiquated backdrop only enhances the majestic couture of her incredibly sculptural garments. These are sophisticated outfits, full bodied and poised, with a wink to the glamour days of old.
source: in&out
