Not so long ago around Renai Road and Fuxing South Road area it was common to see old men in their undershirts carrying out their trash, so it was quite a surprise to see how much this once-traditional area has been transformed into an trendy upscale space. The neighborhood's recently glamor is partly due to the upscale lounge bars and their chic clientele.
Two of these ventures, Fifi and W are the brainchild of Isabelle Wen (
And indeed the event was a glitzy affair filled with a wide range of people looking beautiful. The small stretch of sidewalk in front of the restaurants became a makeshift catwalk for lithe fashion models sashaying down the runway under the glare of spotlights in front of a hip and heterogeneous crowd.
The collection is called Bang! Bang! and channels the look and feel of the early 1960s. The Nancy Sinatra song of the same title (featured in the movie Kill Bill) played at the beginning while bouffant hairdos, knee-high leather boots and stylish poses with pistols set the tone for the evening's show.
Overall, in the new line, there was still a lot of attention to the intricate detailing such as hand-embroidered, hand-beaded and sequined appliques to waist pockets or sleeves. This attention to detail is one of Wen's trademarks, while many of her fashion designs evoke the aura of girl-groups such as The Shangri-las and The Ronettes: tough on the outside, and vulnerable on the inside.
Wen's fashion shows are often grouped according to color, tone and the feel of the outfits. The first theme of the collection included a palette of iridescent purples combined with chocolate browns. Magenta textured tights paired with short blue denim skirts and deep maroon tops with dusty purple tulle skirts were prominent.
Wen likes the juxtaposition of the flouncy tulle skirts worn with cowboy boots, which gives an aura of a sexy toughness. While for her menswear, she mixes bomber leather jackets, tightly tailored long-sleeve shirts with Jodhpurs.
The fabrics are soft, luxurious and feminine with lots of chiffons, silks and hand-beaded Indian fabrics combined with stiffer materials like leather.
The second movement to the show contained clothes with more of a glitzy lounge bar feel. Even though the colors were autumnal, such as deep greens and browns, the materials were luxurious rather than dowdy, and included leather and fur. Metallic short skirts and hand embroidered multi-colored dresses created a multi-ethnic, yet chic look. Not all the clothes are for after-hours. Her 3/4 length jackets are stylish and sexy but can also be worn to the office.
The third movement was more subtle with silvery grayish blues and smoky ash. There was a hand crocheted black midi-length jacket. Trench coats stayed sexy with hints of silk ribbons. Glittery accents and sequins emerged from these dusky-hued clothes. Texture was more evident with knitted pocket tab accents.
The final movement was a spectacular and dramatic ending and showcased her evening dresses that combined Spanish flamenco-style dresses with strapless mermaid-style gowns. These gowns are the ultimate in dress-up fun, but a bit impractical to move around in as the models had to kick out the skirt in order to take a step forward.
Isabelle Wen, the person and her fashion label, has come a long way. Originally trained as a painter, and having studied under some of Taiwan's most prominent artists, Wen is quite proud of her Taiwanese roots and wants to help make life beautiful for people in Taiwan. Wen brings an avant-garde sensibility to fabrics and an artist's flair for combinations of line and color that flatter and clothe the body.
Wen said she started young and that when she was a child, she drew clothing designs to give to her mother as she did not like the clothes that were available at the time. Starting her fashion design label in 1986, Wen now has two clothing boutiques in Taipei, in addition to her elegant restaurants and upscale lounge bars, and has won international acclaim for her fashion label with showcases in Hong Kong, Paris and Japan.
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