ELISE SOULHAT

“My creation for the Nolinski competition is an asymmetrical dress that tells the story of a Parisian woman’s metaphorical and stylistic journey to the Venice Carnival. This dress embodies a meeting of Parisian chic and Venetian exuberance, celebrating a metamorphosis through historical detail and contemporary elegance.

Inspirations and Symbolism

The central element of the dress is a **huge, pleated collar**, reminiscent of the baroque costumes of the Venice Carnival, recalling the theatrical grandeur of the period. It toys with the conventions of Venetian splendour, while at the same time adopting a modern, daring style that is typical of Parisian elegance. This collar wraps around the top of the dress, like a mystical aura that draws attention and projects an aura of mystery around the wearer.

**Gilded Venetian masks** are arranged asymmetrically along the length of the dress, in an arrangement that suggests a gradual incursion of Venetian style onto the Parisian dress. The masks appear to invade the fabric, representing the transformation of the Parisian woman, whose sophisticated elegance is opening up to Venetian mystery and splendour. They appear as living elements, seeping into the dress to symbolise the duality of this woman who is both rooted in Parisian chic and seduced by the splendour of the Venice Carnival.

Cutting and choice of Materials

The asymmetrical cut of the dress reinforces this idea of metamorphosis: sobriety and restraint on the one hand, richness and complexity on the other. This contrast is an ode to the audacity and sophisticated elegance of the contemporary woman, who knows how to embrace diverse influences while remaining resolutely herself.

I chose materials that combine Parisian rigour and Venetian sensuality: a luxurious, structured fabric for the body of the dress, which offers fluidity while preserving a certain rigidity of movement, and a metallic fabric for the gilded masks, to capture the light and evoke the opulence of Venetian palaces.

Artistic Intent

This design is an allegory for the transformation and fusion of cultures It symbolises the modern Parisian woman, simultaneously faithful to her natural chic and capable of embracing the daring festivities, extravagance and freedom that Carnival represents. The dress becomes a canvas for visual expression, where the structured elegance of Paris is transformed into a baroque celebration, a tribute to the spectacle and timeless beauty of Venice.

In short, my design is an invitation to transform: the Parisienne travels and blooms into a new version of herself, captivating and enigmatic, like an apparition on a stage, ready to be admired and capture the spirit of Carnival.”

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