Couturier Rohan Pariyar, who has brought the corsets of age back in style, launched his Couture 2024 Collection, Louis XIV, at the Indian Museum, on February 3. The show, in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise du Bengale and entitled ‘A Baroque Extravaganza’, transported attendees back in time to the ballroom of Versailles by highlighting the grandeur of the traditional corset a la Francois. Accompanied by live Baroque music — compositions of the celebrated Antonio Lucio Vivaldi — performed by Kolkata Sinfonietta and Soloists and conducted by the consul general of France in Calcutta, Didier Talpain, the collection displayed corsets and outfits highlighting motifs taken from the Baroque style of architecture of the palace of Versailles. Interestingly, each of the 30 looks of the collection was inspired by and named after the ladies of the royal courts of Louis XIII up to Louis XVI.
The collection involved an astounding 1,000+ yards of fabric. Brocade, silks, tulle and organza come together in a colourful symphony, embroidered and crafted by hand for over 1,600 hours by a team of 10 skilled artists.
The show was a parade of colours. Ranging from pastel pinks to calming greens to blues that shimmered, along with the finely crafted delicacy of the corsets, the dresses were inspired by costumes of various countesses, duchess, princesses, queens and mistresses of the French court.
(L-R) Nicolas Facino, director, Alliance Française du Bengale, was felicitated by Sayan Bhattacharya, curator (education), Indian Museum. “The Alliance Française du Bengale builds cultural bridges between France and India, especially Bengal. By organising this Baroque extravaganza, we have recreated the Baroque atmosphere that prevailed in fashion, music, and architecture at Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV in the 17th century. This is a very unique event,” said Nicolas.
(L-R) The man of the moment, Rohan Pariyar, smiled for the camera with Sayan Bhattacharya. “It’s very heartwarming to see something I’ve only been dreaming of finally come to fruition after so long. There are so many people behind this production as well, a crew of 115, without whom this event would not have worked at all. I’d like to thank everyone for believing in me and trusting me with this project. Most importantly, I’d like to thank my parents who have shaped me into who I am today and given me the power to realise my dreams,” Rohan said.
Actress Swastika Mukherjee joined in to cheer Rohan along, sporting a specially customised Rohan Pariyar corset. “It’s great to see that they’re trying to make space for art and culture within the museum. This is probably the first time a show like this has taken place in a museum in Calcutta. I’m very excited for Rohan! He’s done some fantastic work, accurate to the era and age, and everyone on the ramp looked spectacular tonight. The music really added to the flavour, too,” she said.