Pocahontas

KRISTIAN

STEINBERG

The real story of Pocahontas is more fascinating than the tales, and we get to follow this remarkable young woman on her physical and spiritual journey. She was the daughter of a Powhatan chief who came in touch with Europeans, married a white man, became Christian and was presented in front of King James I as the sophisticated savage. Kristian puts her story into modern context and tells this story as one of a successful woman in a transient world.

The show opens with easy-fit silhouettes in sky-grey voile and multi-function cut styles that reflect the untamed nature of Pocahontas’ origins, her people and the spirit of a woman who was truly free. We follow her life where nomadic and ethnic influences express themselves in fabrics and cutting details, as well as inspiration from nature like the wild torrent that breaks its way through the landscape. As Pocahontas comes in touch with foreign culture, religion and ideas, her style changes in color and silhouette introducing European details like the tailored jacket. Pocahontas makes these items her own, and her style remains an unusual mix of the familiar and the new. The ethnic jacquard fabrics go

from blue to red and sand colored gabardine introduces military elements to her look.

Finally Pocahontas converts into Christianity and becomes known as Rebecca and her purple georgette shoulderless dress is symbolic in many ways. The surface of the fabric is knotted and the zigzag leather shoulder bands reflect the cross that yet again is something that Pocahontas has made her own.

The final part of the show is a monochrome evening focused reflection of who Rebecca was at the English Royal Court. The silhouette is sharp and powerful, the shoulders accentuated and the materials clash in opposite surface textures. The Japanese hemp-organza meets shiny calf leather and the burned surface velvet is finished with feather like georgette and as we approach the finale, a bare-feet model walks in slowly, undoing her abstract black silk evening dress. The dress is a complicated set of godés that are held in place with laces and is a totally sizeless design that can be worn by anyone. The dress comes undone and becomes meaningless as it’s dragged off the runway like a piece of random fabric. Pocahontas is never more herself than now.