Morales
spring/summer 2004

It figures that white canvas is this painter-by-night's fabric du jour for Spring 2004.

The eye-popping colours are nearly gone this season, with nary a Jackson Pollock zigzag to boggle the retina. What we do have in Renata Morales' latest oeuvre is a sober meditation on what silhouette construction means to the designer.

We have the chastely coquettish, done up in shades of pearl and beige, a truncated top and skirt exposing the vulnerable midriff rather reluctantly. The wrinkled muumuu tries subliminally to subvert beauty to its natural un-primped form, betraying the chicness of the fitted taper.

Turquoise, a spring 2004 favourite around the world, makes a splash in Morales' collection, as frilly faux-feathers on rose petal tulle dresses. No one does frills like Morales, gathering fabric with organic genius and keeping cinching to a bare minimum. On an oblique note, never has punk been treated to such tender detail.

The pleated mini-skirts are way cool, with exaggerated belt loops and a punky ballerina aesthetic. The prim duo-tone top with balloon shoulders is lampooned by it's own warrior straps.

It looks like Morales is contradicting herself into fashion history quite nicely.

Daniel Cox
Fashion Editor
Marek Wlazlo
Photographer

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