romeo gigli balloon skirt with cotton mesh lining, s/s 1990

a layered linen and silk blend balloon style skirt with a contrasting red cotton mesh petticoat-lining with cascading tendril hems which can be knotted or left unfurled, as desired. an attached wide, pleated belt allows the wearer to alter the shape and width of the waistband, or can simply be left hanging for added movement & dramatic effect..

the spring '90 season is highly regarded as one of gigli's most impactful collections; tim blanks references the presentation as one of the greatest fashion shows of all time. a master class in colour, texture, layers, emotion. the richness of the silks, the murano glass hair pins, earrings and skirts- images burned into my mind forever. reading tim blanks' recollection of the event, the feeling in the air, the soundtrack (cocteau twins, of course; my forever favourites and inspiration behind my very first tattoo), nearly brings tears to my eyes. what a joy to have handled this piece, if even for a moment, and pass it on.

"sometimes, the clothes themselves provide an aural undertow, swishing, rustling or crinkling or, for romeo gigli's spring/summer 1990 presentation, tinkling, link wind chimes. kirsten owen, the model embodiment of gigli's fragile, romantic ideal, appeared on the runway in an outfit wrapped in a fringe of large glass beads from the island of murano, in the venetian lagoon. with her long pendant earrings and glass diadem, she could have been the byzantine empress theodora. and she chimed as she walked, until the beads began to shatter.

or did they? the dream-like transport of the entire show, heightened by liz fraser's angelic voice soaring on the soundtrack over the gilded guitars of the cocteau twins, was such that my total recall of the night has always been shaky. but I do remember the standing ovation for gigli's paris debut. it set the impassive stone walls of the cour carrée, the huge courtyard in the louvre, ringing. and the cheering resounded down the rue de rivoli, so the legend goes." - tim blanks

fabric composition: silk, linen

size: no size tag, estimated to fit a size small-medium. mannequin is a FR 36.

(flat) measurements: waistband-35 cm, length- 135 cm.

condition: excellent vintage condition. 9/10