By Katie Dominy /asdf 26-01-2010

Entitled ‘Tsar’, Francisco van Benthum’s new A/W 2010/11 menswear collection, shown last Thursday 21 January in Paris, has an historical and poetic slant, with references to Imperial Russia, from the highly decorative dress of the royal family to the varied ethnic costume of the Slavic peoples.

Translated into a contemporary collection, Van Benthum experiments always with construction and shape. There is an emphasis on volume and the oversized rounded shoulder, that work perfectly for revisited long-length peasant shirts and cashmere wool A-line coats that gave the model a true Imperial swagger. Certain pieces emphasise a high waist, such as a printed stripe silk shirt with blouson waist and an asymmetric eastern style appears in the trousers, with references to dhoti pants.

Traditional handcrafted techniques, such as patchwork and embroidery, highlight the folkloric element, but used in a modern way; a yellow gold rosette placed asymmetrically on one side of a white gold metallic shirt; 19th century collar techniques create detailing on shirts, asymmetric, optional button-fastening, worn over skin-toned silk scarves wrapped tightly around the neck, as though first-layer protection against a fierce Siberian chill.

Rich colours emphasise the regal luxuriousness of the collection, with metallic golds, ginger, orange and crimson red, working with neutral tones of ecru, mink, soft greys, brown and black. The fabrics add an even more luxurious feel, with cashmere loden wools, flannels, fine cotton poplins, silks, waxed cottons, Lurex-flecked shirtings and silk/casmere-blend fine knitwear.

To complete the effect, high-shine patent slipper-style chisel toe shoes padded silently down the Persian-carpet clad catwalk, in sensible black or, the choice of one who perhaps only walks on silk carpets, cream with silk-fringe bows.

This January is the fourth consecutive season that Van Benthum has shown in Paris. His collections sells internationally and his concept store in Amsterdam, NL = New Luxury, is shared with fellow designer Alexander van Slobbe. Van Benthum is currently developing three capsule collections to run alongside the main collection; a range of suits and shirts under the name Van Benthum, a directional fashion collection called FVB and also a footwear collection shown at Tent Showroom, Paris during Men's Fashion Week.

Photography: Peter Stigter

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