Seeing Tube Gallery (March 24, 2017 at Siam Paragon)’s new collection was like attending a fairy tale soiree in a lavish garden. Floral scents perfumed the air, and an installation with potted evergreen palms stretched down the length of the runway, filling the runway tent with a sense of calm bliss.
The mood was light and intimate. The show opened with a live cello solo, which transitioned into the guitar-based soundtrack that introduced the first piece, a white, almost bridal dress with a calf-length skirt typical of Tube Gallery’s style. This was followed by a succession of white formalwear, such as a bodycon dress with a translucent hem, full skirts with exaggerated cap sleeves, and two-button blazers with flared dress pants and fedoras to accessorize, all of them adorned with floral prints and a multi-dimensional glow reminiscent of a pearl’s luster.
The colour palette was primarily pastel, consisting of dusty pinks, amber, subdued blues and petal reds, with one or two outfits featuring cobalt blue or turquoise, which gave off a fresh and springtime vibe. But Tube Gallery’s flair for the dramatic was apparent through their use of glistening beads and embroideries, which emphasized necklines, hems, collars, or formed into shapes such as kois on the fronts of blazers. Silhouettes for gowns and dresses were mostly tented, with high or layered necklines that folded like the petals of a flower. Menswear suits were fitted, though there were some boxy, trench-like floral blazers that were dressed up with white ascot ties, the points jutting out from the necks of the models like leaves.
Tube Gallery’s costume design experience (the 28th SEA Games in Singapore, multiple award costume design awards for theatre performances, events, and more) did not show up in blatant, obvious ways, but rather in the contrast between armour-like angles and soft, billowing lines.
It’s this balance–along with the subtle details that breathe new life into classic cuts–that adds to the elegance of this collection, one that’s not built on being theatrical for theatre’s sake, but on being a standout in a universally accessible way.
Words by Millie Ho (www.millieho.net)
Photos by Sung Studio (www.vincentsung.com) & Courtesy of PR Siam Piwat
Produced by Le Flux Asia (www.lefluxasia.com)
