COLLECTION SPRING SUMMER 2009
The Donassy summer collection 2009 shows lightness, youthful playfulness and feminine-erotic elegance. Branka Donassy is increasingly turning her attention to the relationship between colours, patterns, and cut. This is perceivable in the interplay of the face and the underlying side of the fabric in creased or wrapped up dresses and skirts, collars, and edging detached in other colour, large printed portions, striking colour contrasts and shading of stripes. The silhouettes and the colour range quote blue tones of the Adriatic and a variety of coral reefs with streamlined shimmering silver fish, gracefully hovering jellyfish with partially transparent, partially coloured envelopes, green, yellow, blue, and violet patterns of parrotfish and red-brown morays and firefish with fan-shaped tail and back fins.
Mostly very fine fabrics were chosen, of rather rigid structure, so that they do not cling to the body; they seem to hover during movement, which is especially visible in the dress and skirt in white crêpe silk with blue and black stripes and the elaborately creased, lavish silk blouses and silk scarf skirts. The gauze-like cotton fabrics in gray-blue and azure, a widely plissé polyester fabric in matte light blue and ultramarine, crêpe silk with wide stripes in diverse violet and blue tones, and pale silk organza with unobtrusive seagrass-prints in matte brown and green also show a similar appearance. Even more rigid, used for pronounced forms of two-pieces and blouses with a narrow waistline and stressed hip and shoulder portions are taffeta in intense light green and coated cotton fabric and linen that take on a creased used look. Combined with these materials is fine silk-viscose knitwear, discreetly shining, soft cotton fabrics in blue tones and elegant black, as well as fabrics mixed with silk, whose smooth flow is captured by charming folding, creasing and wrinkling techniques. Thus is for example a buttoned, sleeveless top in smooth cotton lengthened with laterally opened pockets on the front side, repeated on the large scarf-collar as edging, so that the collar is bristled and upright. The fine knitwear tops are cross-folded at the breast or waist level, which produces small cascades of fabric on the shoulders or on the back, while a futuristic-abstract interpretation of the kimono with puff sleeves, an extremely wide belt, and a skirt slightly turned towards the edging acquires volume and a certain stability juxtaposed to the fluid movement of the silvery fabrics.
In this collection, Branka Donassy plays with a variety of fashions, transforms and unifies them in her clear handwriting. Apart from Asian style silk blouses and kimonos she also makes a reference to antique Greek elements and wide riding trousers, farthingale elements and ruffs that remind of the clothing habits of the 17th century, as well as the fashion of the late 20ies. She unifies this variety of styles in a harmonious, summer composition.