Beautiful beyond words
and thought, Italy, home to one of the world’s most influential fashion labels {Dolce and
Gabbana- D&G}, has yet again set its richness as muse to the talented
Stella Jean. In beautiful creations and silhouettes, Jean has created a face
for the use of the African prints beyond safe grounds as she merges her Italian
and Haitian heritage in her fashion space. An
emerging Haitian-Italian fashion designer and former model, whose cultural
identity often provides inspiration for her eponymous label, Stella was born in
1979 and raised in Rome to a Haitian mother, Violette Jean, and an Italian
father, Marcello Novarino. The use of her mother's maiden name for the brand was a deliberate move
to equally represent both parts of her heritage; a consideration that is also
evident in her collections.
By July 2011,the self-taught designer was one of the winners of the
prestigious Vogue Italian talent contest Who
Is On Next; despite the fact that her application had been previously been
rejected two years in a row. Jean has established her signature aesthetic as a
merging of the exoticism of her
creole heritage and the craftsmanship of her Italian roots. In an
interview with the Telegraph, she asserted , “I want to communicate through clothes a concept of opposite worlds and
traditions fusing together in a sophisticated way and standing side by side
with equal importance, not covering the other up," . Afro
Caribbean culture and a Euro influence, with the slight hit of Asia permeates
her designs. Her accessories are exaggerated and bigger than the average wrist and
neck sizes
The crafty blend of two rich heritage gives
her collections a rich, textured surface with in-depth reflections. Grounded on
conservative rules, her designs are crafted with bold prints and rich colours .The
result is classic feminine tailoring.
For Jean's spring/summer 2014 collection, she collaborated with the
International Trade Centre's Ethical Fashion Initiative. As a result, the
printed fabrics for this collection were sustainably sourced, hand-crafted and
aimed at helping trade workers in disadvantaged communities in Africa.
Spring Summer Women's Wear 2014/2015
Autumn/ Winter Ready to Wear 2015/2016 Women's Wear
Autumn/ Winter Ready to Wear 2015/2016 Women's Wear
Spring Summer Women's Wear 2014/2015
Spring Summer Women's Wear 2014/2015
Spring Summer Women's Wear 2014/2015
Spring Summer Women's Wear 2014/2015
"I’ve found in
fashion the necessary room to make two opposite identities breathe and
conciliate finally. Having been born and raised in the Italy of the eighties,
as the result of a multiracial family, even if a “Milieu asie”, it ain’t been
easy or painless. I started fashion as a model, and since the very first time I
set foot in the fashion designer’s studio, I knew I was in my element. It was
the right place to be, but the wrong way to be there. Eventually, I made some
changes and found my own style, which allows me to express myself as a
designer. When I first presented my collection in July 20111 at “ Who is Next”;
AltaRoma and Vogue context in Rome, it represented to me a way to bring peace
between the two most important parts of my personality; the European and the
Creole. It’s not easy to find balance in an emotional conflict such as the one
I experienced between these two parts of my soul. Fashion gave me strength and
a fresh start"-STELLA JEAN
Autumn/ Winter Ready to Wear 2015/2016 Women's Wear
Autumn/ Winter Ready to Wear 2015/2016 Women's Wear
Autumn/ Winter Ready to Wear 2015/2016 Women's Wear
Autumn/ Winter Ready to Wear 2015/2016 Women's Wear
Spring Summer Women's Wear 2014/2015
Spring Summer Women's Wear 2014
Jean's appearance on the male runway was no
different as she translated the audacious
prints into regular coats and jackets for men. Her Autumn/Winter
2014 collection was also accessorized with bags and document wallets in leather and fabric; boots, two-tone/multi-material lace-ups Acording to Vogue magazine, the collection would be
a representation of European clothing with a mix of cheerful, unusual
geometric regularities and vibrant prints and colours.
Autumn/Winter Ready To Wear Mean's wear 2014
Autumn/Winter Ready To Wear Mean's wear 2014
Autumn/Winter Ready To Wear Mean's wear 2014
Autumn/Winter Ready To Wear Mean's wear 2014
Asides from the fact that I am totally in love with Italy and fascinated by the historical make-up of Haiti, the fuse of cultures makes Jean works exceptional and tangible. I am thus guilty of Stellajeanism...lol. EXCELLENT.
“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”
― Coco Chanel
SOURCES:http://www.kreyolicious.com
http://www.vogue.co.uk/
www.pinterest.com
https://www.goodreads.com
http://www.themodeofficial.com/
