THE QUEEN OF SHEBA, A/W 2000/2001 by Arkadius

The collection was inspired by the legends of the Queen of Sheba. 'I was inspired by the idea that she was so young -- a teenager -- when she came to the throne,' he says, 'and that she wielded so much power not only over her own kingdom, but over King Solomon, seducing him physically and mentally with her formidable arsenal of feminine charm. I imagine her as being considerably resourceful, and I wanted the collection to emphasise the importance of having both inner and outer beauty.'

'These themes are reflected in the collection through the use of natural materials and natural colours and through designs which are sexy, feminine, enticing, but not vulgar. Some of the forms are totemic, with great drama when shown in silhouette. The designs are also very powerful -- they make the wearer feel, and look, confident and somehow regal. This effect is partly achieved through intricate, laborious craftsmanship -- we have hand beaded the clothes, embroidering some 25,000 fine cut crystals onto the surface.'

A fresh and vibrant cream, white and green colour scheme predominates, carved into dramatic, form-fitting lines. The entire collection is made with natural materials, with liberal use of fox, Mongolian wool, gabardine, and flannel. Decorative elements used are fine cut and hand beaded crystals, intricate hand crochet, and porcupine needles.

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• Arkadius
• Fashion