Much the way fashion illustrator rene gruau colorfully captured the
elegance, grace and sensuality of women in his drawings, y&kei presents a
fall 2004 collection rich in luxury, subtle beauty, and a fresh modernity.
imagining themselves as children opening the door to their grandmother's
closet and discovering a glorious world gone by, the korean design duo have
grafted a collection inspired by the 1 930s and all the inimitable clothes the
decade offered, re-worked with a touch of 1 970's glam.

There are delicate lace-trimmed ruffle blouses and silk, hand-embroidered camisoles; the classic
hepburn-esque tweed trousers; the great coats, complete with a magnificent
fur collar and velvet lining; the feminine, dropped-waist hand-knit dresses; the
prince of wales jackets with peplum details. each piece is impeccably-grafted
with as much detail given to the inside as what is seen on the outside: a paper-
thin suede poet's jacket with a leather and silk ruffled lapel is not finished
until a luxurious silk jacquard lining is stitched in. and yet, for all the
alluring nostalgia that the looks allow for, they are translated into a
modern context. they are soft, delicate clothes for today's world.

The color palette reflects the aged classicism of the collection with muted,
dusty pinks, romantic purples and florals, washed in a patina. gold and silver
thread is delicately woven into the cashmere/wool knits, hinting of luxury
and wealth; astral, a shimmering black is the color of night; and ketchup red
is this season's hue, embodying a pair of herringbone trousers, a suede fan-
pleated skirt, a wispy wool camisole.

finishing the feminine portrait is a full collection of accessories, each as
magnificently-grafted as the clothes: ketchup suede open-toe heels
seductively tie around the ankle with a silk ribbon; berets are hand-stitched
with looping pearls and day hats adorned with refined plumes; delicate silk
rose shawls are luxuriously trimmed with fringe; antique clasps and silk
ribbon are added to strings of pearls, giving the novel jewelry an heirloom feel.

Photography by C. Yohance DeLoatch